


Naruto

by RedHawtMama01



Series: Naruto: Rewrite [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Blood and Violence, Drug Use, F/M, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, friends with benefits Umino Iruka/Hatake Kakashi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:49:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 27
Words: 119,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28417146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedHawtMama01/pseuds/RedHawtMama01
Summary: A rewrite of the entire story line for the anime Naruto.
Relationships: Aburame Shino/Yamanaka Ino, Gaara/Uchiha Sasuke, Hatake Kakashi/Namikaze Minato, Inuzuka Kiba/Kankurou, Nara Shikamaru/Uzumaki Naruto
Series: Naruto: Rewrite [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2108070
Comments: 107
Kudos: 130





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story is just something I came up with one day while watching the train wreck that is Boruto. I started asking myself what I would do if I were asked to rewrite the story. I have actually discussed this very topic with several friends and came to the conclusion that is this story. I don't know how many chapters it will take to tell the whole story but I do know it will be quite a lot. I am also taking the creative liberty to give some of the unnamed characters from the series and giving them names. Please do not leave comments telling me "that's not so and so's actual name" as I am well aware of this fact. 
> 
> Now sit back and enjoy the show!

Naruto  
Disclaimer: I do not claim to be the mastermind behind the original manga or the anime. If I were it would have gone differently and Boruto would never have happened. I am also not receiving any compensation whatsoever for this fanfic, this is purely for entertainment purposes only.

Warnings: This story will be a complete rewrite of Naruto so it will not be canon compliant. There will be character deaths, graphic violence, mentioned rape, adult content, adult language, underage drinking, tobacco use, and probably a lot more dark content that I normally don't use.

This story will have same sex couples and a lot of the pairings may not be liked or accepted. Once again this is not canon. If you don't like any of the content then simply hit your back button and forget you ever saw this. 

This is my first time posting anything on A03 and also my first ever Naruto fic. Please use only constructive criticism in the comments as I do not respond well to flames. 

Prologue

October 10 Konoha Village

Deeply hidden underground, protected by seals and barriers, a baby boy is born. Blonde hair, blue eyes, ten tiny fingers and toes. Tears of joy, laughter filled with relief, and congratulations echo off the carved stone walls.

The baby is wrapped in soft cloth and placed in the arms of his mother, his father standing beside them with a smile.

"Happy Birthday Naruto. He's perfect Minato. Has your eyes ya know?"

"Yes but he will grow to have your heart. He already has your temper Kushina."

The baby, Naruto, wails his discomfort as the new parents chuckle. The happy moment cannot last however, as soon darkness encroaches on the happy family. The strong overwhelming scent of copper fills the air and Kushina cries out in pain..

"Minato take Naruto!"

Everything happened too quickly. Before Naruto could fall to the floor, Minato snatches him into his arms. The medic nin and the midwife flock to the suddenly distressed Kushina.

Blood soaks through the gown she wears and the cloth covering the stone table.

"Lord Hokage we haven't much time! The seal holding the Nine Tails is failing fast and Kushina hasn't the strength nor the chakra to enforce it."

"I don't care about the Nine Tails! Save my.."

"Minato! We are shinobi first and you are Hokage. Please save the village.."

Torn between his heart and his duties, Minato makes the difficult decision and places his son in the hands of the midwife. He returns to his wife's side and takes her hand.

"I know that look ya know. You can't follow me Minato. Naruto will need his father and the village will need their Hokage. You have to transfer the kyuubi to our son and seal him with my chakra. There's not much time.."

"I'm sorry Kushina, I couldn't save you but I will keep Naruto and the village safe."

With a final kiss goodbye, Minato pulses his chakra into the seal on Kushina's body. With a series of hand signs, he activates the jutsu to unlock the seal and release the Nine Tails chakra. 

"You have guts Minato. What makes you believe I will not kill you now and escape?"

"Without a vessel you cannot remain long in this plane, nor would you get far if you escaped. The Uchiha clan is waiting outside."

"I do not fear any mortal least of all the Uchiha!"

"It's not about fear. You are not a tool to be used by anyone, and I am not ordering you to be used as a weapon. I am asking you to protect my son, and when the time comes, lend him your power so that he might one day save us all."

The massive chakra beast hesitated for a moment. For the first time since his creation, a human was asking instead of demanding. He knew the human was manipulating him, and normally he would have just killed the man out of spite; however, he had to admit the fleshling had guts.

"Very well Minato, I will go quietly for now. I warn you however, if the boy wants my power he will have to fight for it."

With that Minato nodded and finished the seal on Naruto's belly, completing the sealing jutsu and the Nine Tails vanished.

Minato stood in his office in Hokage tower holding his infant son gazing down at his tiny innocent face. Security was heightened around the village and more ANBU guards had been added to his personal detail.

A meeting had been called with all the clan heads as well as the civilian council. As much as Minato wished to mourn his wife and celebrate his son, he is still Hokage and his duty to the village came first.

"It has been brought to my attention that we have had a major breach in security. Off and on over the last several years, someone has been sneaking into the village without our knowing about it. It has also come to my attention that certain people have been operating under the table so to speak. All this comes to an end today."

The crowded room suddenly burst into action. Shouts of disapproval and outrage rang out, upsetting the once sleeping Naruto. Upon hearing the crying infant, the room once more settles to a dull murmur.

"I'm sorry kiddo, they can be a rather rambunctious bunch huh? Your mother was usually the one to keep the peace at these meetings."

The words spoken by their Hokage seemed to sink in, and the unspoken truth behind them weighted everyone in the room. The Hokage had lost his beloved wife, and the small boy he held had lost his mother.

"As I'm sure you have all realized, Kushina has died and our son was born. As we thought, someone knew of Kushina's condition and how it affected her seal on the Nine Tails. The clones we had stationed in an undisclosed location were attacked by a masked man. Sadly there were unforeseen complications during the delivery and we were unable to save Kushina."

Minato held his breath for a moment to fight back his tears and choke down the emotions trying to break through. He had to hold strong through this meeting.

"I transferred the Nine Tails chakra into Naruto making him the new jinchuriki. Before anyone speaks up let me say this. Naruto is first and foremost my son, and he is not to ever be mistreated for his status as jinchuriki. He did not choose this for himself nor is he the beast that lies within. He will be raised to become a shinobi of the Leaf. I expect everyone to treat him as they would any other citizen of this village."

For the most part, the others in the room were agreeable to what their leader had to say but there were a few that did not.

"Lord Hokage, I must advise against this. That boy is now a weapon to only be used to protect the village. He should be kept hidden away from the civilians for their safety as well as the…"

A sharp kunai found itself lodged in the wall, just barely missing the head of the man who spoke out. Ice blue glared into shocked brown.

"Speak one more word like that about my son, Lord Danzo, and you will not finish this meeting alive. Your outburst brings me to the next order of business for this meeting. An investigation was ordered by my predecessor to look into the activities of the current civilian council as well as certain branches of our forces. ANBU Hound, could you please step forward."

The crowd parted slightly as a young masked man stepped forward and kneeled before the Hokage. In his outstretched hands, he held a brown envelope that was sealed and marked "Top Secret". Minato smiled at Hound. To everyone else in the room, the young ANBU agent was as stoic and cold as any other, but Minato could see the boy's nerves.

"Here take Naruto for me. A bit hard to read over your report without the use of my hands."

Before he could complain, Minato placed the sleeping baby in Hound's slightly shaking arms. The boy could face down an army of enemy ninja but handling his Hokage's new born child was terrifying.

"According to the evidence the investigation uncovered, the current Civilian Council is hereby accused of corruption and is henceforth disbanded and will be replaced at a later date. All members are stripped of titles and status and must vacate the Council housing immediately. Should they attempt to seek reconciliation against myself or ANBU, they will be taken to the village prison."

Several masked ANBU surrounded the two seated council members and stood at the ready for further instructions. Minato nodded and went back to the documents.

"As for Shimura Danzo your accusations are as stands; treasonous acts against the previous Hokage, conspiracy to insight civil war in the village, kidnapping and subsequent abuse and neglect of several children throughout the years, brainwashing of several elite clan members as well as dignitaries from visiting nations… The list is quite long and the crimes quite grievous.

Danzo as punishment for your crimes, your clan is hereby stripped of all title and banished from the Hidden Leaf. You are to be interrogated then executed for your crimes. The FOUNDATION is to be dismantled and its agents rehabilitated in order to become citizens of the Leaf.

Anyone that attempts retribution for Danzo will be interrogated then executed for treason. These decisions were unanimously decided upon and will be carried out upon conclusion of this meeting. As we speak several ninja and ANBU hand chosen by the Clan Council are carrying out these orders.

If you attempt to flee, their orders are to terminate you on sight.

Now for the final order of business.. Given the current affairs, we will need to elect a new civilian council as well as appoint a new ANBU commander. There is also the announcement for Kushina's memorial services. I have not yet had a moment to make arrangements so I ask that you all bear with me. I'll need a few days to organize everything."

The meeting adjourned for the time being, the accused were taken into custody and led out. The others present stood from their seats and one by one, gave their condolences and congratulations to their Hokage.

Three men stayed behind and waited until the room was once more empty. 

"You realize that you just painted targets on your back as well as your son's right? As your advisor and friend, I would have advised against this."

"I had no other choice Shikaku. Our original plan was tossed out the window with Inoichi's last minute discovery. And yes, I am aware of the consequences of my actions here. Make arrangements with your families tonight. There are some things we need to talk about and I would like to have your help with.."

"Say no more my friend. Hell knowing our wives and the other shinobi women, I doubt we'll have much say in any of it. Kushina was well loved among the other kunoichi. Little Naruto will want for nothing and you will have plenty of babysitters lined up."

"The Akimichi clan will handle the food preparations for the service. And knowing your lack of cooking skills, I'm more than certain you'll be well stocked for the next decade."

Minato smiled sadly at his three closest friends. For the first time in the last several hours, he felt reassured that things would work out. Now he needed to get his son home and start preparing for the inevitable.

Once inside his home, the Hokage let his own mask fall. He openly cried as he held his son to his chest. In the span of one night he lost his wife and almost his son. The village was threatened and he had now made enemies within the sanctity of that village. 

Minato looked down at his son with a soft, teary smile. No matter what he would raise and protect their son.

"I'm sorry you never got to meet her, Naruto. Your mom was something special. I will do my best to make sure you know who she was. Now then let's get you cleaned up and then we need to find a way to feed you."

Naruto cooed up at his father and batted at the longer blonde locks that got within reach. As soon as Minato stood to head to the kitchen to bathe Naruto, there was a loud rapid knock at the front door.

"Who could that be at this hour…"

The door flew open and a gaggle of women poured in. The first to reach the blondes was Uchiha Mikoto who promptly plucked the infant from his father.

"You just leave this to us Lord Fourth. You can go rest with the men. Yoshino can you handle the formula? Hana any chance I can get you to round up some towels and blankets?"

"You three handle the brat! Akimichi-san and I will handle the men! You take care of the food, I'll handle the rest! Inoichi where's the sake in this place?"

Unable to hold back any longer, Minato begins to laugh. That he even thought for one moment he and Naruto were in this alone was absurd. The will of fire was strongest in the people of the village he swore to protect.

After directing Inuzuka Tsume to his stash of sake, Minato was corralled into the sitting room with the rest of the men. If anyone noticed his red puffy eyes, no one mentioned it.

The vibrant laughter and steady warmth lifted high around the Hokage mansion. Tomorrow they would begin preparing for the funeral, but for now, they celebrated the new life. Sorrow and tears could wait.

Lurking in the distant shadows and watching as the villagers went about their lives, a single glowing red eye narrowed in anger.

"You may have won this battle, but this war is far from over. My plan has only just begun."


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya and Tsunade come home!

Chapter 1

Konoha Village December 20th

“Minato-sensei please focus! I know Naruto is cute in his puppy suit, but we need to get the security detail roster finished before we can start mapping patrols for the festival. Shikaku-senpai please talk some sense into this man.”

“You’re asking the impossible kiddo. Getting Minato to focus on anything not Naruto these days is like asking Jiraiya-sensei to stop writing those raunchy novels of his. That reminds me… Jiraiya and Tsunade are coming back to report and meet the newest Konoha citizen.”

Minato chose that moment to look up from playing with Naruto and smiled at Shikaku. It had been several months since he last saw his former teacher and even longer since seeing the Senju heiress. This would be an interesting week for sure.

The Fourth Hokage sighed and shook his head. He would definitely need to restock the sake in both his home and office and plan for a sitter for Naruto as well.

“As for the roster.. I want to put you and Itachi in charge of the security detail via a rotating shift so that you both can enjoy the festivities. For the first rotation let’s have that be your ANBU team plus a few jonin and chunin. I’ll let you decide who you wish to pick. For Itachi, I will ask Fugaku-senpai if he will coordinate the police force with Itatchi’s ANBU team. This will increase our numbers and keep appearances up. 

After everything that came to light with that investigation into the Uchiha clan, we need to show the citizens of Konoha that the clan is still loyal. Shikaku set up a meeting with both Fugaku and Itachi to go over their schedules and family plans for the festival.``

Shikaku started writing out a summoning scroll to call the Uchiha men to the office before handing it over to the messenger. When the door opened to let the messenger out, another body entered the room. Naruto took that moment to let his presence be known since he lost the attention of the room.

“Uh oh Shika, sounds like your young boyfriend wants your attention since he knows you’re here. Better go say hi.”

The current group all laughed as a barely one year old Shikamaru Nara sighed and toddled his way over to the bassinet. He raised a dark eyebrow at Kakashi expectantly. The ANBU teen rolled his eyes and motioned the boy to sit on the couch before carrying the infant over and gently placing him into the Nara heir’s lap.

“Don’t fall asleep holding him this time brat. Nearly gave me a heart attack last time.”

Kakashi ignored Shikamaru’s glare at being called a brat and turned back to face the adults in the room. 

“Inoichi-senpai, is there any chance we can get some of the T&I agents to help with the security detail? With the Fire Daimyo and several other visiting dignitaries coming into the village I want to make sure we have all our options covered. Also Sensei, Akimichi-san and Teuchi-san have requested an audience with you to discuss the layout of the food booths and sitting area.”

“Hold up there kiddo you’re getting into my territory now. Like the kid said, you have several meetings scheduled to go over the finer details for the festival planning. One of which is the plants and flowers being used for the flower arranging contest and the decorating competition for the kids. Hence Inoichi late as usual, arrival.”

The blond commander glared at his long time friend before smiling sheepishly and scratching the back of his neck.

“You know how it is Shi. Newborns are fussy and a lot more hassle than I remember. Ino pitched an all out fit over her blanket this morning. I barely made it out alive I tell you.”

All present in the room laughed knowing full well the intimidating T&I commander spoiled his princess rotten and was probably the reason for her temper as well. Inoichi took a seat next to Shikamaru on the couch and leaned in to poke one of Naruto’s whiskered cheeks, laughing in mock surprise as the infant’s tiny hand captured his finger. 

Discussions about the festival and upcoming academy graduations continue. Several more shinobi pop in and out to deliver documents or give their input on the discussions at hand. A few hours later, Tsume barges into the office carrying bags and take out boxes her daughter Hana in tow with more food and also carrying a wide eyed toddler in a pack strapped to her back.

“Alright you deviants stop corrupting the kiddos and teaching them bad habits. I know none of you are keeping up with the time and have yet to eat. Akimichi-san asked me to deliver this to the lot of you. Kashi, start sorting the food out and be sure to feed the pups first. Speaking of pups, little Naruto is too much in that pup outfit! Where in the world did you find that Minato?” 

After setting her cargo on the desk, Tsume walked over to see Naruto. The baby was dressed in a hooded onesie that had puppy ears atop the hood. It was the standard shibu coloring of tan and white, complete with a fluffy tail sewn into the back. Hopefully Minato would give up the secret so she could get one for Kiba.  
Minato laughed and Kakashi blushed a deep scarlet to his ears. As fun as it would be to tease his former student, he decided to take pity on the teen and keep his secret.

“Sorry Tsume but it was a gift so I have no clue as to where it came from. Perhaps one of the shops in town?”

Tsume narrowed her eyes at the man knowing full well he wasn’t being honest with her, and then her eyes flashed to the blushing teen and realized why. She would confront the boy later when he wasn’t being watched by his superiors. 

Once everyone had their food and the meals were eaten, Minato was about to end the day and take home his sleeping son. A knock on the open window sill alerted everyone to the entrance of a rather large white haired shinobi. Minato’s face lit up brighter than it had in a while when he laid eyes on his former teacher.

“Well look at you kiddo! Still wearing the funny hat and ugly robes huh? Eh who cares where’s my godson? I’ll bet he’s a mini version of you Minato!”

“You aren’t wrong, sensei. I swear it’s like watching myself grow up again. His temper and stubbornness is all his mother’s I’m afraid. Though as long as little Shika is close by, he’s a bit more manageable.”

The young Nara boy all but growled and tightened his hold on his precious package when Jiraiya attempted to lift the infant from his arms. Undeterred the sanin simply laughed and crouched down to eye level with the boy.

“Thank you so much for protecting the little prince, but would it be alright if I hold him for a bit? I’ll even sit beside you so you can make sure I don’t drop Naruto. Do we have a deal?”

Shikamaru eyed the strange looking man before looking at his father and the hokage. Both men grinned and nodded that it would be alright, so Shikamaru allowed Naruto to be taken from him. He almost pulled him back when said blonde whined at being moved from the warmth, but Naruto squealed in delight when he grabbed two fist fulls of Jiraiya’s wild white main and jerked hard.

“Ouch! Kid got Kushina’s strength too! With a little time and some training he just might surpass the princess!”

The other men in the room winced and shot careful glances at Minato. No one had mentioned the late woman’s name in his presence since the funeral for fear of sending the man into another bout of depression. Minato just smiled sadly and nodded his head.

“I agree wholeheartedly, sensei. He has such a strong grip I sometimes forget he’s only two months old.”

Jiraiya had figured everyone had been walking on eggshells around their hokage so as not to upset the man, but he also knew Minato well enough to know it was okay to push a little more. The death of Kushina had shaken the blonde, and it was still a relatively fresh wound to the heart. Jiraiya also knew first hand that the only way to overcome the pain from that wound, was to rip off the bandage and air it out. 

Plus, it was insulting to the once vibrant and loud kunoichi to keep her name out of conversation. No, he would let Minato decide for now when he couldn’t handle it anymore.

“How have you been holding up Minato? I could tell from your letters that times have been rough for you but you haven’t come right out and said anything either. Talk to me kid.”

Knowing how sensitive this conversation was, the others gathered their things and left the office. Shikaku gathered up his sleeping son and bid goodbyes on his way out the door. He knew his friend and their mentor well enough to know things were about to get emotional, he also knew Minato needed this because the man had yet to visibly grieve since the night in his home.

Minato waited until the door shut and locked before letting his mask fall. His chest grew tight and words stuck in his throat as a painful sob broke free. Jiraiya stood and walked to his student’s side and carefully put one arm around his shoulders while holding Naruto closer to his chest.

“That’s it kiddo. Let it out. No one but me and Naruto here now so you can just cry it out.”

The two men stayed this way for several minutes, until Minato could no longer cry. He lifted his red puffy eyes to his mentor and gave a sad smile. He hadn’t realized he needed the time to just cry and release all that pent up emotion until it started. Perhaps what he really needed was the support of his mentor more than the cry. To be told by someone he respected and admired that it was okay to let go.

“I’m sorry sensei. I haven’t cried like that since the night she died. Between raising Naruto and taking care of the village, I haven’t really had the time to actually grieve her loss. As far as how I’ve been holding up? Well as you can see, I haven’t been. I do my best to keep it together for Naruto and the others. Some days it’s easier to do than others. 

Preparing for the festival has been the hardest because this was something she loved doing. I still see her everywhere I turn, still imagine her coming in through the door to yell at me for leaving a towel on the floor at home. It’s only been little over a month but at the same time it feels like it was years ago and five minutes ago all at once.

The hardest thing for me has been Naruto. He’s my and Kushina’s son, but he also contains the Nine Tails. He’s also the reason she’s gone. I don’t hate him sensei, to be honest I don’t think I could if I wanted to… But, it’s so hard looking at him and watching him grow, knowing she won’t be here to see it. That he has to learn about her through pictures and stories instead of her warm hugs and tinkling laugh. How do I do this sensei? How do I raise my son without her?”

Jiraiya looked down at the cooing infant in his hold. Bright blue eyes gazed back at him, and even as young as Naruto was, he had a fierceness in his eyes that told the old sage of the boy’s intense power.

“You do it day by day kiddo. Some days will be harder than others, and some days you’ll want to just give up. Kushina’s body died that night, but her fire and spirit live on in your son. Take the bad with the good and always remember that you’re not alone. The people of this village loved you and Kushina. Yes some may not accept Naruto because of the bijuu he hosts, but I think you’ll be surprised just how many people will rally to help.

Keep in mind that you are Hokage second to being a father though Minato. Don’t make the same mistakes as Hiruzen-sensei and put your duties as hokage before your duties to your son. You have plenty of people working under you to take on the majority of the tasks until Naruto is old enough to start school. No one will think less of you and you’ll have less regrets when you face Kushina again.”

Minato took in a shaky breath and nodded his head in agreement. He had actually considered stepping down from being Hokage. The only thing that kept him from it was the fact that he would lose the protection of the title for himself and his son. He knew full well that him being Hokage was the only reason Naruto hadn’t been carted off and locked in a cell beneath the tower.

Strong but slender arms wrapped themselves around his chest and the familiar scent of sake and earth wrapped his senses with a calming sensation, and Minato’s smile grew. He’d known Tsunade even longer than he had Jiraiya, the woman helped raise him after all.

“Welcome back Tsunade-san. I take it you escaped from Shizune already?”  
“Oi knock that smirk off brat. You know damn well she’s out in the hall with TonTon. Jiraiya’s right kid, that is a mini you alright. I say we take this reunion back to your place so the chibi you can sleep and we can catch up. I want to hear all about the look on old Danzo’s ugly mug when he was caught red handed!”

The halls of the tower hadn’t been filled with such laughter in so long, as the trio and a half carried their impromptu family reunion to the mansion. He didn’t know how long the two would stay this time but he hoped it would be for a good long while. He looked forward to the day he would see their reactions at being called jiji and ba-chan. The mischievous smirk on his face was pure Minato with just a hint of Kushina.

It would take some time, but Jiraiya knew that Minato would heal and Naruto would one day grow into a fine young shinobi. He only hoped to be able to live long enough to see that day…


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little glimpse into Minato's struggles and some slight angst and drama.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter after this one and I'll be posting a time skip. The reasons behind these background chapters will be revealed later so pay close attention! Also i did not realize how long this chapter was until I transferred it here. O.O stay with it until the end or you'll be lost next chapter!

Chapter 2

Konoha Village Winter Festival

The Winter Festival was Konoha’s way of celebrating the closing of one year, and the beginning of a new one. The village was covered in a dusting of light snow, twinkling lights were hung on every surface. Even the Hokage Monument was decorated with bright colors and festive lights. 

Game and food booths scattered the bustling village, and patrons ambled happily dressed in their finest winter yukata or kimono. Children laughed and screamed in delight as they ran from booth to booth carrying treats and prizes as their parents shuffled behind them wondering where they got the energy from, as well as hoping they burned it off before heading home.

There were even sections for shinobi to test their skills, and for the littlest ones to stay warm and entertained by story telling and bright light shows. The Hokage himself chose to be the storyteller, thus his section seemed to be the most popular. Children of all ages sat around the blonde as he told stories of brave shinobi who battled monsters to save their villages. The smile on his face was warm and genuine as he got into his role. He could imagine seeing Naruto sitting among the red happy faces waiting for his father to finish the tale, bouncing excitedly with every word. He could also picture Kushina making faces at how boring Minato made the story by cutting out the more gruesome details of the battles.

Currently, the tiny blonde was bundled warm and being passed around and fawned over by the Konoha Wives Association. The overprotective mothers had left no room for argument when they promptly “kidnapped” the baby and took him into one of the many Akimichi restaurants under the pretense of keeping him warm. Everyone knew of course, that this was a farce. The truth was, the wives were watching over Naruto to allow Minato a break as well as a chance for him to be the Hokage to his people.

Jiraiya was nestled among the children, well more like buried, as he sat and listened to his former student spin yarn. Apparently the younger man had learned more than shinobi skills from his mentor, which filled Jiraiya with a sense of pride.

Tsunade was sitting in a bar with the son of her former teacher and several other chunin and jonin who were now off duty. The raucous laughter and obnoxiously loud conversations in the bar seem to be the only thing keeping the blonde princess from tears of her own. The festival always made her think of her beloved and her younger brother. Both were lost far too soon in life.

The festival went off without a hitch, and the fireworks display at the end of the night was a huge success. The music and laughter died down as family’s headed home for baths and bed. Minato went into the restaurant to pick up his now sleeping son, and was escorted home by most of his friends who carried parcels of food and toys for Naruto. The blonde shook his head in disbelief and knew full well his son was already spoiled rotten. As he should be.

Inside their home, Minato thanked his friends and said good night. He was grateful to the women, not only had they made sure to keep Naruto entertained and fed, he had already been bathed for the night. After a quick check to make sure the baby was still clean and dry, Minato placed his son into the crib for the night. 

Standing in the shower allowing the water to beat down on his tense and tired muscles, Minato let his mind go blank for once. He knew his dreams would be plagued with haunting visits of Kushina’s memory and his own demons. They usually were as of late. 

Shower finished, he wandered blindly into the spare room. Since the death of his wife, Minato hadn’t slept in the master suite. He had recently given some thought to just getting rid of everything in the house and buying new. Would that be too drastic? Could he really part with all those memories with her?

Before he could get settled in the bed, he heard Naruto cry out. Groaning from the ache in his tired body, the young father got up and dutifully went to his son.  
“What’s the matter Naruto, have a bad dream? Come on then let’s get you back to sleep.”

He lifted his son and carried him out into the living room. Choosing the wooden rocking chair that Yoshino had given him, he sat down and began to gently rock.

“I’m sorry but I’m afraid I can’t sing as well as your mom could, but I’ll give it a go for you.”

Humming first to get the melody right, he started to sing a lullaby he remembered Kushina singing while Naruto was still in her belly.

“You are my sunshine my only sunshine   
You make me happy when skies are grey  
You’ll never know dear how much I love you  
Please don’t take my sunshine away”

Apparently not impressed with his father’s singing, Naruto looked up at his father like he couldn’t decide whether or not to scream at the man for hurting his sensitive ears. Taking no offense to this reaction Minato simply smiled at the baby.

“I tried to warn you. I wish she were the one to have stayed with you. She would know what to do right now.”

Nothing else coming to mind, Minato decided to tell Naruto the story of how he had met the boy’s mother.

“She had the most beautiful red hair I’d ever seen, and a fiery temper to match it. The Red-Hot-Habanero was the nickname she was given because of that hair and temper. Used to beat up people twice her size for making fun of her or her dreams. She was so defensive about her hair and her dream to become Hokage, that she even thought I was making fun of her. How could I though? To me that hair was as precious as any gemstone.”

Looking down to see Naruto fast asleep in his arms made his eyes well up with tears. Naruto felt so much warmth from just his words about Kushina that he was able to go back to sleep.

“I’m keeping my promise Kushina. You may not be here, but our son knows your love. Keep watching over us.”

A loud knock on the door woke Minato with a start. He didn’t even remember falling asleep, and where had the quilt come from?

“It’s not like you to be late to the office Minato. Your ANBU team is going crazy looking for you.”

“Ah sorry Shikaku! Naruto and I were up rather late last night. Can you believe we fell asleep on the couch? Door is unlocked now so come on in and keep an eye on the baby while I get dressed.”

Shikaku let himself in and plucked a curious Naruto from the couch. Once the boy noticed this was not his favorite Nara male, he let his disappointment be known with a shout and a slap to Shikaku’s nose.

“Yeah yeah sorry kiddo. Shikamaru is still at home, probably still piled up in the bed. Not usually up before noon if he can get away with it. Looks like you’re stuck with me for now. Oh now I see why your old man stuck you with me, whew what did those women feed you?”

Naruto giggled and cooed at the older man, Shikaku laughing right along with him as he changed the baby’s diaper and redressed the kid. He grabbed a prepared bottle from the fridge and warmed it on the stove before giving it to Naruto.

“There you go kid, breakfast of champions. Drink up so you’ll grow strong like your dad.”

“Sorry that took so long. I couldn't find where I had left my vest. Strange things have been happening in the house the last couple of days and it has me very concerned.”

“Like what? Should we have the house watched you think? Maybe have a few ANBU stay with you?”

“I’m not sure. It’s not anything alarming really, like this morning. I woke up on the couch covered with the quilt from the master bedroom, but I don’t remember getting it. Nor do I remember going to sleep.”

Shikaku was very much alarmed at this. Minato had a photographic memory so for him to forget something like this was usually a sign of either genjutsu or poison.

“Did you notice anything different about the house when you got home last night?”

“The only peculiar thing from last night that I can remember was Naruto crying out when I got out of the shower. He never cries.”

Shikaku pulsed his chakra and summoned the ANBU assigned to Minato. Four masked agents dropped down and kneeled in front of the trio.

“I need Hound to use his ninken and do a thorough search of the Hokage Mansion. Check for anything out of place. Bear, Cat and Deer, I need you three to escort Lord Hokage to his office. I’m going to take Naruto to my estate. He needs a playdate with Shika.”

The agents all nodded and took off to perform their assigned tasks. Minato knew not to question his friend and most trusted advisor. When the elder Nara got like this, it was better to just follow orders and stay quiet. Nine times out of ten, the man was never wrong.

A few hours later, Shikaku ordered an emergency meeting of the Clan Council and the ANBU security detail.

“This morning after talking with the Hokage about unusual occurrences in his home both last night, and several other previous nights, I took the liberty of having ANBU Hound use his ninken to search the entirety of the house and grounds. Hound can you please inform everyone what you discovered please.”

The young agent took a kneeling position facing the room, porcelain mask in place.

“Upon arriving at the mansion, the dogs were instantly alert and on edge. Tension was strong enough that it was visible. My best tracker immediately set out to discover any traces of someone not associated with the Hokage. While he was scenting the property outside, Biscuit and Pakkun searched the inside of the house. What they all found was frightening to say the least.”

Hound pulled out a ripped piece of fabric that looked like a very high quality yukata. Shock echoes around the room as murmurs and whispers.

"This scrap of fabric was found on a thorn bush at the back of the property. The alarms didn't go off so whoever it was, is a current citizen of Konoha or someone contracted to be here for the festival.

I've already instructed ANBU team Ro to visit every registered visitor. I would advise we put the village on lock down and place capable guards at all gates. I understand that the dignitaries will want to return to their own homes, but until the culprit is taken into custody, no one should be allowed to leave the village."

"I agree with your assessments Hound, and I also agree with your method of finding the culprit. I would make one recommendation, however. Fugaku-san, how many men can the police force spare for the search and stationing at the gates? We'll have the police force search the village citizens and ANBU handle the dignitaries and the visiting shinobi."

Fugaku looked up from his thoughts and gave a single nod of his head. In the past, the Uchiha clan and subsequently the police force, would have been excluded from this assignment. Things under Namikaze Minato had changed dramatically for the Uchiha clan.

Minato had long since earned the Uchiha respect and loyalty. He had promised Fugaku that the Uchiha clan was an essential part of Konoha's past and it's future. Slowly members of the clan were integrated into the official positions they were previously banned from holding.

Now Fugaku sat as an advisor to the Hokage, chunin commander, and the head of the police force.

"The force is at your disposal Lord Fourth. I can have my top men work the ANBU from Ro and from Itatchi's group. Itachi personally trained our special forces unit so I have no doubt they'll be up to the task. I'll give the order immediately.

If I may also add, I think we should also include the Hyuuga clan in this matter. The Byakugan would be detrimental in this investigation."

"I agree with Fugaku-senpai sensei. I would also ask if we could get Shisui-senpai on board as well. His sharingan would be useful, hell any sharingan would be but with Fugaku-senpai and the rest of the Uchiha clan already being spread thin for the investigation.. Forgive me senpai I meant no disrespect."

"No forgiveness needed Hound. I took no offense at all. Shisui would in fact be crucial for us but sadly he's away on assignment at the capital. Come by the station after the meeting and you can meet with some of our other sharingan users, then we can determine which would be best for each situation."

Minato watched on secretly pleased with how this group was working together. It gives him hope for the future of the village, even if the situation at hand was cause for fear. 

"Our main goal should be to find whoever was on the property and what or who they're after. It will be impossible for myself or my son to return home until this issue is resolved so hopefully nothing else comes up and we can resolve this quickly. Dismissed, Shikaku please join me for lunch. I could use a decent meal today since you rushed me out without breakfast.”

The jonin commander blanched at the well placed accusation. He stood with a sigh, a faint smirk on his lips.

“Well it’s not my fault you decided to sleep in this morning boss, but I suppose I can treat you to a meal at your favorite spot.”

“I’ll take the deluxe bowl with extra miso and tea.”

Both men were familiar with this code, and only those close to them would know what was really being said between them.

Naruto is safe with Yoshino and Shikamaru.  
Got room for one more? I promise not to try cooking again.  
Of course, Yoshino would have my balls if I kicked you out

Minato and Shikamaru made the trip to the Nara estate keeping up the pretense of grabbing lunch. Once they were within the safety and privacy of the grounds, they got down to the real issue that needed to be discussed.

“Even with all the sharingan and byakugan at our disposal this will still take weeks. I can’t very well stay hidden and I don’t trust anyone else with Naruto’s safety. I also don’t want to impose on your family Shika.”

“Don’t be stupid Minato. My father practically adopted you years ago. You and Naruto are probably the only people not of the Nara bloodline that the deer won’t attack. Even Choza and Inoichi have to me with them when they enter the property. The both of you are more than welcome here, and not just while this issue is going on. I know you haven’t been sleeping well and I also know you haven’t touched any of Kushina’s things. I won't push too much but Minato you have to start the process of letting go so you can move on with your life. 

There’s no law that states you have to live in that huge mansion. There is a small caretakers cabin out behind the main house, nothing special but it has 3 bedrooms and two bathrooms. Kitchen is small but you both are welcome to join us for meals. Don’t answer now, just give it some thought. Yoshino will love having Naruto here and don’t get me started on Shikamaru…”

Both men laughed at this and Mintao gave a grateful look to his oldest and dearest friend. He had in fact been considering moving out of Hokage Mansion. For one thing it was too much for just him and Naruto, the main reason behind not making the move was because he didn’t know where to go outside the mansion. Apartments would be too open and public, a hazard for the hokage and his son. Outside the clan properties, there wasn’t much land available for building a house. Houses also took a lot of time to construct and Naruto needed safety and stability now.

Thanks to Shikaku, he finally had a possibility. He would still take the time to properly think about it before giving his friend an answer.

“To be honest my old friend, I had already been considering a change. I’m not sure I’ll do anything with Kushina’s things until Naruto is old enough to decide if he wants to keep any of it for himself. She left quite a bit of it to him anyway…”

“Shikaku Nara, how dare you not tell me the Hokage was coming! I’m not prepared for such a visit!”

“I apologize, Yoshino-san. I invited myself for lunch during our meeting. If it’s an inconvenience for you I can just head back to my office.”

Shikaku was always amazed at how smooth Minato could be with women. The man was naturally shy, not that many knew this about him. He watched in shock as Yoshino blushed and flustered for a moment before grabbing Minato by the arm and dragging him into the house, shoes and all. Such a drag…

“Now I said no such thing! We always have plenty and our door is always opened to you, you know that. Naruto is in the den with Shikamaru. Seems little Shika is trying to teach Naru-chan to play shogi. Best be careful or he’ll make a Nara out of your cute son.”

Shikaku snorted a laugh, Minato choked his back and began coughing. Little did Yoshino know, there was actually a bet going around the office on whether or not the boys would end up a couple. The current pool was at close to 300 in favor and only 75 against. 

Both men decided to peak in on their boys and nearly awed at the sight that found them. Shikamaru had fallen asleep on the floor with Naruto sprawled on top of the toddler, using his chest as a pillow. The sweetest thing was where on his chest Naruto’s head was positioned, right above Shikamaru’s heart.

“Should we wake them for lunch or leave them be?”

“Just let them sleep, seems like it would be a crime to separate them now. Looks like Naruto made the decision for us.”

After a hearty lunch, eventually being joined by the kids, Minato sat at the table discussing the options for a possible move. Yoshino was probably the most excited, it would give her an excuse to play interior designer plus it would let her have bragging rights to exclusive sitter for Naru-chan. Her words.

Finally having enough of the excitement, Minato and Shikaku went back to the tower to finish their duties for the day. 

Hound was waiting for them both when they returned to the office. He held a stack of papers in his hand, and straightened his posture when the door opened revealing his sensei and senpai.

“Sorry to barge into your office like this sensei but this information was too important to wait.”

“It’s fine Hound. What do you have for us?”

“Before I get to what’s in this stack, I thought you should know that we already have the person that snuck into the house last night. Not sure what you’re going to want done with them.”

“What do you mean? Obviously they need to be interrogated and placed in a cell. Who is it?”

“Shikaku please wait a moment and let Hound finish his report. Explain please Hound.”

The teen nodded and handed over the file Ibiki and Inoichi put together on the criminal.

“The supposed culprit is a child senpai. We estimate somewhere around 7 or 8 years old. Apparently Kirigakure is using child assassins and spies now. According to the intel gathered from Inoichi-senpai, the kid was only here to gather basic information about the village as a trial mission. No family to speak of,the kid doesn’t speak and we don’t have the basics like a name.”

“I’m guessing they are waiting for me to decide what to do about him? What would you do in this situation Hound? You may speak freely.”

“Honestly sir? We can’t trust that they won’t use the information the kid gathered against us. I doubt they would attack us themselves, but they could sell that information or contract out to someone else to do the attacking. We can’t afford to kill the kid outright or hold him prisoner without repercussions. I say we make an example and use the kid to send a message.”

“A bit morbid but he’s right. Even if this is just a training mission, that kid managed to sneak into the Hokage Mansion undetected and even got close enough to tuck the Hokage in without the ANBU guards catching him. We can have Inoichi erase any traces of the info that was gathered. Yes it will be rough on the kid but we can keep him in the hospital until he recovers then, when they come to collect him we let him go.”

No one in the village enjoyed torturing children, it was one of the main reasons the laws pertaining to genin were changed under Minato. Burying eight and nine year olds was never easy on anyone, but they had no choice at the moment. Minato would not put his son in danger out of mercy.

“Very well, get that information to Inoichi and Ibiki. Make sure to put someone you trust on guarding the kid. We can’t let him think he’s being kept prisoner but we can’t have him sneaking off to gather more intel either. When you’ve spoken with Inoichi, come back here. There’s something we need to talk about.”

Hound nodded once and disappeared out the window. He was now worried what his sensei had to tell him that seemed so urgent. He was so distracted by his thoughts, he never realized he was being followed. 

Hound screamed out as he felt a severe burning pain in his leg before he fell to the ground. Before his vision went black, he summoned his fastest ninken and sent them back to the tower.  
The world spun around him and he heard shouting in the distance, then everything went quiet and dark.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi's "attacker" revealed!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another long chapter! Next chapter will be a time skip!

Chapter 3

Konoha Village Shinobi Hospital Surgery Waiting Area

Minato held the busted, blood stained porcelain mask as he sat on the bench outside the operating room. It had been over four hours since Hound was brought into the hospital broken and bloody, and no one had been out to let him know anything. His fears caught in his throat when the light above the door went off.

The door opened and a group of medic nin came out, their uniforms were spattered and covered in blood. Tsunade and Shizune came out last and pulled Minato ino the room with them. On a table in the center of the room, lay the unconscious form of Hatake Kakashi.

Usual pale skin was now sickly grey with a blue tint due to blood loss and trauma, bruises still forming in places even after Tsunade’s talents. Thankfully Minato could see the slight rise and fall of the teens chest. Kakashi was breathing, he was alive.

“I don’t know how or why but he’ll live. I can tell you right now, his road to recovery is going to take months, possibly years. And that’s even if he can be fully recovered. That fall he took would have killed most people, hell every bone in his body was nearly shattered. Most of his organs, that were still in his body, were ruptured or bruised; He’ll be on a liquid only diet for a while that’s for sure. We won’t know about brain damage until after he wakes up. 

We’re looking at several weeks if not months before he can leave the hospital. I would recommend taking him off active duty for the time being, if not for the foreseeable future. The kid is lucky to be alive, though I’m not so sure he’ll see it that way. I’ll let you have a few minutes with him then I’ll need you to sign some forms for him. He has you listed as his emergency contact and since he has no known living relatives here, so as his employer, you are now the proud guardian of a 14 year old boy.”

“Thank you for all the hard work, both of you. Any news on the young man that hurt during the crash?”

“Umino Iruka, and he’s fine. A few scrapes and bruises from where the kid landed on him. I think he’s mostly in shock right now from how much blood was covering him and Kakashi. Do we know what caused all this yet?”

“According to the ANBU, Kakashi grabbed his leg with a scream before he suddenly fell. Did you find any wounds on his leg not from the crash?”

“Not really, we’ll have to wait until he’s awake and pray he remembers what happened.”

Tsunade and Shizune excused themselves to go get cleaned up and get some sleep. Minato felt bad about having the two handle the procedures upon their arrival in the village, but he trusted no one else with the life of his former student. 

Minato pulled a chair over and sat next to the table. Using one hand, he combed the sweaty blood caked hair off Kakashi’s face.

“We will find out who did this to you, and then we’ll make sure they’re punished to the full extent. Sleep as much as you need Kashi, I’ll make sure someone will be here to watch over you. And, don’t worry about Naruto. I’ll make sure he comes to see you too. Don’t push yourself too much to get better, you deserve a vacation so take your time.

I’ll need to go soon so I can fill out your forms, guess I’m officially your guardian now, well on paper at least. We’ll talk about that later too, when you're feeling better. I’ll come to see you once you're settled into your room.”

Minato gently patted Kakashi’s hair as he stood and left the room. He had to get out of there quickly before he lost his composure and started crying where anyone could see him.

After signing the paperwork for Kakshi's lengthy stay at the hospital, Minato decided not to return to the office just yet. Instead, he went in search of the boy Kakashi had fallen on. Finding his room was easy enough, getting in to meet the young man was a bit harder.

"Please excuse my intrusion, but I would like to speak with Iruka for a moment if you don't mind."

"Oh my! Please have a seat Lord Fourth! I'll go get something for Iruka to eat, please take your time."

Minato watched the young woman, the boy's mother he presumed, leave the room. Once they were alone, he sat next to Iruka and gave him a tired smile.

"Tsunade tells me your name is Iruka, is that right?"

"Yes Lord Hokage. I.. I'm sorry about that boy. Is he okay? Did he survive? I didn't make him worse did I?"

"Please calm yourself Iruka. Hound will be okay, and you did not further injure him at all. I wanted to ask if you might know anything about what happened to him?"

Iruka's eyes started filling with tears and he looked down at his hands.

"I think it was my fault sir. I was practicing with my senbon and I think one of them must have ricocheted off the target. I swear I didn't mean to hurt anyone! I'm so sorry!"

Relief flooded Minato in that moment, and the control he had on his emotions snapped. He suddenly found himself hugging the frantic teen.

"It's alright Iruka, you're not in trouble. If anything this is a relief. We all feared Hound had been attacked and I was about to order the village to be placed on lockdown. What happened was an accident that could have happened to anyone. You know I accidentally set Lord Third's hat on fire while practicing my jutsu. 

So please don't be too hard on yourself. Hound will make a full recovery, he's too stubborn to do anything less. He might need some help at some point, even if he doesn't think he does. Would you be willing to help him out?"

Before Iruka could answer, the door swung open and that woman from before came back.

"My son will gladly help Lord Hokage, and we'd be more than happy to help Hound while he recovers. I know he lives alone in the barracks, so once he can leave the hospital, he can stay with us. It’s the least we can do for him.”

“That would be a great idea, thank you Kohari. That reminds me, you saw his face so you know who Hound is right?”

“Yes sir. When I turned him over to pick him up the mask fell. I don’t really know who he is other than seeing him around the village a few times. I won’t tell anyone, I promise!”

“Easy now, you haven’t done anything wrong. I seriously doubt you would do anything to hurt him, and besides, if he’s going to be staying with your family you’ll be seeing a lot of him. You might as well learn his real name too. It would be a bit weird calling him Hound all the time. His name is Hatake Kakashi, and I believe he isn’t much older than you now that I think about it.”

“I think so, I know he graduated from the academy before me though. You sure he’ll be okay?”

“It will take him a while to get back to normal, but I promise he’ll be okay. With your help it will speed up his recovery too. Don’t worry too much about it, just be there for him, even when he tries to push you away. I’m counting on you Iruka, think of this as a mission only you can do.”

Iruka sniffled, wiped his eyes and gave a blinding smile. He nodded at the Hokage and took the tray of food from his mother. Minato took this as a sign to take his leave from the pair. 

Still not wanting to return to the office, he decided to return to Kakashi’s room. He opened the door to see the face of his former student looking around the room. He looked almost terrified until he saw his sensei at the door.

“Sen..” 

Kakashi coughed and groaned, grabbing his throat in pain.

“Easy Kakashi, don’t try to speak just yet. Your neck and throat caught some serious damage. Sip on the water for a while until the burning stops. No worries about anyone seeing you without your mask. The only one that saw you that didn’t already know, was the young boy you fell on.”

Kakashi visibly relaxed, and took a few sips of the water on his side table. He waited a moment until he felt he was okay to talk.

“I need to give my report a sensei.”

“There’s no rush, but if you feel strong enough, it would help fill in the gaps. Iruka, the boy who caught you, seems to think this all happened because of a wayward senbon.”

“No sir, I dodged the senbon. The fall was my fault. I dodged the senbon but wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings, and my leg caught something. I felt the hit but couldn’t see what it was, and the hit was hard enough it knocked me off balance. After that, I just remember a sharp pain on the back of my head, then nothing. Must have hit a tree or something.”

“I see, well that answers some questions and gives us more.Have you seen Tsunade or Shizune yet?”

“Yes sensei, they came in and explained about the injuries and the procedures. Tsunade-sensei put a block on my chakra so that I can rest and heal. Most of the injuries should be healed in a few weeks, but I will still need physical therapy on my legs once the casts are removed. I’m sorry, sensei, I shouldn’t have been so careless.”

“Nonsense Kakashi, though it isn’t like you to be distracted. I’ve made arrangements with Umino Kohari so that once you’re released from here, you will have a place to go with someone there to help if you need it. You’re also welcome to come stay with Naruto and I, though I’m not sure what help we’d be for you.”  
“Eh no offense sensei but I don’t think I would survive your cooking. I know Kohari well enough, she was ANBU before she retired to take care of her son. So she already knows who I am, and now I’m guessing her son knows too. When can I go back on active duty sensei?”

“There are several things we need to talk about, and that is one of them. With the information you gave in your report, we can’t rule out that this was a deliberate attack against you. Your recovery will take quite some time, so for now you’re listed as inactive. I had you filed under medical leave, so you’ll still be getting paid. I know how you feel about that so I took the liberty of having Itachi gather up the reports each week for you to go over and authorize. 

Another thing I wish to discuss with you is your future in ANBU. You’re currently fourteen and already the third in command of the entire division. You made jonin at ten, which was faster than anyone else mind you. Those are amazing achievements and I have no doubts in my mind that you will recover and accomplish even more. 

When Tsunade told me about the extent of your injuries, she also informed me that you had listed me as your next of kin and emergency contact. Wait Kakashi, let me finish. I’m not upset, honestly, I was both pleased and honored. I’m not sure if you had any meaning behind it, but let me tell you how I felt. 

I knew Sakumo quite well, I served with him in the war. He was a good man and a damn good shinobi. I didn’t realize until it was too late how he was affected by his actions and what the village was saying about him, or I would have stepped in sooner. I’m sorry you had to see him like that Kakashi. I won’t try to replace your father, but I would like to offer this. If you want it, I can file a petition for guardianship until you turn 18. Nothing would have to change, but it gives you some options in situations like this.”

Kakashi let his sensei ramble on for a little while longer, and he was glad they left his cloth mask on because he did not want the man to see him laughing. Minato Namikaze was a very strong and fearsome shinobi, but when it came to matters of the heart, well to put it bluntly the man was an idiot.

“Sensei, please stop before you hurt yourself. If you’re okay with being linked to ‘the friend killer’ then I accept your offer. It would be nice to have someone to come home to again, besides my ninken that is. I already see Naruto as my little brother, but you will always be sensei to me. Yeah my father is gone, but he is still my father. Does that bother you?”

“Definitely not, and I have never seen you as ‘the friend killer’. I’m one of the few people in the village who knows what really happened to Obito and Rin. During your recovery, I want you to see someone about them. I know you still blame yourself, and I can see the effect those memories have on you. I can see you’re getting tired so the rest of what needs to be discussed can wait. Get some sleep Kakashi, I’ll visit again tomorrow and we can talk more then.”

Kakashi gave a slight nod while his eyes fluttered closed as he dozed off. Minato stood and pulled the blanket at the end of the bed up and over the now sleeping teen. With one last look, he left the room and headed back to the office. He had a lot of work to do before he could head home to Naruto.

The next morning, Minato bundled Naruto up in his warmes clothes. Yoshino helped him strap Naruto into the infant carrier she’d purchased for them. He was grateful for the thing, but he could never get it on right much to Yoshino’s amusement. Once the baby was strapped in, they set out into the snowy morning.

“I know kiddo, it’s pretty cold huh? Don’t worry, well be at the hospital soon and then you can see Kakashi. I’m pretty sure he misses you as much as you miss him. Oh Iruka and Kohari, good morning! On your way home today?”

“Lord Hokage! Yes we are, I was glad they kept him last night to be safe but I’m glad he is coming home now. Iruka was relieved to find out it wasn’t his senbon that caused this mess, but he still feels guilty for some reason.”

“Yes, Kakashi is the same way I’m afraid. He was adamant that Iruka had nothing to do with his fall and kept blaming himself. He did however accept your hospitality and agreed to stay with your family while he recovers. Naruto here was getting anxious when he didn’t see Kakashi at breakfast this morning so we’re on our way for a visit.”

Iruka brightened when he heard Naruto coo and babble from the sling.

“Awe he’s so cute! He’s so tiny too!”

“I would take him out and let you hold him, but this darn contraption he’s in is a pain to work with. We need to get going now, but come by Ichiraku’s later and you can hold Naruto!”

Minato waved to the pair, and he and Naruto continued on their way to the hospital to visit Kakashi. They passed several others who called out greetings and waved hello. It was easier to pretend things were okay when he had his son with him. When people saw them out together, no one wanted to interrupt their outing. Everyone knew the Hokage’s duties kept him extremely busy, so what precious time he got with his son was considered sacred.

Jiraiya and Shikaku had been right though, time was helping him. Day by day he could feel the darkness recede a little more. It would still be a long time before he felt well enough to be truly happy again, but again Naruto was taking care of that too.The boy had a light to him that burned brighter than his hair, and something about him seemed to pull anyone to him. Minato half wondered if that was the Nine Tails.

They reached the hospital and made their way to Kakashi’s room, where they found the teen sitting up on the bed with some help of pillows.

“Look at you, sitting up already. I take it your physical therapist was here?”

“I wish, they probably wouldn’t have been so hard on me. Gai decided it was time I ‘stopped waiting to heal and make myself do it’ or something like that. I nearly died but surprisingly, I think it actually did help.Felt something pop in my back and now my legs don’t feel numb. Tsunade-sensei said she would run another set of scans later to make sure that ‘training’ didn’t make things worse.”

“That sounds like Gai. He has the same enthusiasm his father had. Well either way you look better this morning, your regaining color in your face. Feel up to a visitor of the smaller calibur? When you didn’t show up this morning he got quite upset.”

Minato undid the straps to the sling, and handed the squirming bundle over to Kakashi. Not feeling up to holding the baby, Kakashi laid Naruto in his lap and smiled down at him.

“Hey Sunshine, did you miss me? Awe don’t cry kiddo, I’ll be okay. I gotta be since someone has to look after your dad, he’s kind of an idiot on his own. I’ll make sure you learn how to cook so you both don’t starve, okay?

Sensei, you said yesterday that there was more you needed to talk to me about. Does it have something to do with why Naruto smells like the Nara clan deer?"

"In a way yes. I often forget you have a nose like your namesake. Naruto and I were invited to stay on the Nara property, and I have been considering it. The Nara land is well protected so there really isn’t a safer place in the village, and of course you’d be welcome to join us if you would like. The house we’ll be using has a third bedroom that won’t be used otherwise.”

Kakashi gave a lot of thought to his sensei’s words, while he let Naruto play with his fingers.

“Would there be room for my ninken? I will still need to stay with the Umino’s until my legs are strong enough, but it will be nice to get out of the barracks. Would Shikaku allow it?”

“Shikaku may be the head of our clan, but I am the head of the house. Hello Kakashi, glad to see you up. I can’t stay long but I heard the conversation from the hallway and just had to pop in. You have already been added to the security seals for other reasons Minato will explain, so yes it is allowed. And don’t you worry about the dogs, they have enjoyed chasing Shikamaru and the deer around the property. Minato, don’t forget to go by Kakashi’s apartment and get some clothes for him. Umino-san wants to set up Kakashi’s room so he can get settled in faster.”

With a flourish, Nara Yoshino was gone as quickly as she arrived. Both Kakashi and Minato blinked owlishly at the door, wondering the same thing… Why was she there to start with?

“And here I thought Shikaku-senpai was scary... “

“Yeah Yoshino has always been far more frightening, even among the other Konoha women. So there you have it, permission from Yoshino and you know Naruto and I want you there. Main thing I want you to focus on right now is your recovery and rehabilitation. Everything else will fall into place from there.”

“Thank you sensei. I won’t need anything fancy in my room, just a futon and a place to store my clothes and mask. I have storage for my weapons and what not.”

“About the mask, I think you should step down from ANBU or at least be moved to my direct unit. I want to put you on as Naruto’s personal guard. You are the only ANBU Naruto knows, and the only one I trust enough to keep my son safe.”

“Sensei, I’m flattered that you think so highly of me, but are you sure this is a good idea? I don’t know that I’m ready for such a responsibility, hell Itachi is older than me, he has a better track record.. I’m good for assassinations and infiltration, not keeping people alive.”

Minato’s gaze softened when he looked at Kakashi. 

“Look at yourself right now, the way you’re holding him, the way you handle him. Since the first time you held Naruto, you have seen him as someone precious to you. I have no doubt in my mind that you would give your life to save him, that tells me you can handle this assignment. Just give it some thought, that’s all I ask.”

Deciding to change the subject to something less awkward, they began discussing upcoming events in the village. The two most important events being the chunin exams and the academy graduation, neither event Kakashi was looking forward to. The exams meant people from every shinobi village would be meeting in Konoha, which meant they should be tripling the security around his sensei and Naruto. 

With him out of commission, there isn’t much he can do at this point. He can strategize with Shikaku, Itachi and Inoichi, and set up a chunin/jonin perimeter. One jonin to two chunin every 5 kilometer intervals. Have the genin work with the police force to patrol the village.

Kakashi shared the information with Minato, who agreed it was a good strategy, and Minato said he would let the others know to come by and discuss the details with him later in the day. They talked for a while longer until Naruto decided it was time for lunch. With help from a nurse, Minato had Naruto back in the sling and they were on their way to the office.

Shikaku met Minato in the hall outside the office, a foreboding look in his brown eyes. He opened the door and allowed the ANBU in first to search the room. Once the room was declared clear of spies or listening seals, he put up a sound barrier and sealed the room from anyone outside.

“Sorry about all this Minato, but things have gotten a bit paranoid around here since Kakashi fell. The Aburame identified what caused Kakashi’s leg pain and thus his fall, and you won’t like this in the least.”

“I already don’t like this Shikaku but tell me anyway. Should we be preparing for war instead of the exams?”

“Not unless you’re ready for a civil war. Apparently Kakashi happened on an attempt to spy on you and Naruto by the Hyuuga clan.”

“The Hyuuga?! Are you sure? As far as I know, I’ve never had any issues with Hiashi or Hizashi”

“Tsume tracked down the man responsible for it, apparently one of the clan elders hired a branch member to spy on you two. He ordered all this because of your refusal for an arranged marriage between Naruto and Hinata.”

“That’s ridiculous, of course I would refuse that. Yes my clan does practice arranged marriages sometimes, but it’s usually between family friends that are already close. And I’m barely a branch member myself. If they’re willing to spy on me for that, imagine what he’ll do to your clan when they all find out little Shika already staked his claim!”

“Please don’t joke about that. You know Yoshino and I have been trying for weeks to get Shika to say mama or dada, his first word was Naru. His first sentence was ‘want Naru’. Should we be concerned, Minato?”

“They’re just kids Shikaku, and even if something does form between them, all we can do is love, support, and do our best to keep them safe. We swore after what happened to Kushina’s home land, that we would never let such hatred destroy Konoha. To keep that from happening…”

“You’re right old friend. So what should we do about the Hyuuga elder? Last thing we need right now is infighting among the village.”

“We invite Hiashi and the Hyuuga elders. If it was just the one man acting alone out of spite, then they will be able to punish him according to their clan laws. If we find out that the entire clan was behind it, then we have no choice but to banish them. I would hate to make an enemy of them, but we cannot afford a civil war right now. Bear, go to the Hyuuga Clan estate and summon their leaders for a meeting. Cat, have Shibi and Tsume present for this as well, we will need their report on what they discovered.  
Hopefully we can resolve this peacefully and without word getting out.”

Several hours later, Naruto had left with Inoichi and Choza so that Naruto could be taken back to the Nara estate. The Hyuuga Clan leaders were all present in the meeting hall, and Shibi and Tsume had just finished their reports. 

“I hope you can see the dilemma we face here. The Hidden Leaf is as much your home as it is ours, Hiashi. The last thing I want to see is for your clan to be banished.”

“Indeed Lord Hokage, I do understand. I had been aware that the elders were unhappy with your refusal, however, I was not aware they had pulled a stunt like this. As it was you who was targeted, Lord Fourth, then you have the authority of the Hyuuga Clan to punish the guilty parties as you see fit. I also ask that you please forgive my clan and I thank you for speaking with us first instead of punishing the entire clan.”

“Of course Hiashi, I wouldn’t feel right punishing innocent people for something they did not do. Since the young man had only been following orders, I am willing to be lenient with his punishment. Step forward young man. As your punishment, you will volunteer your free time assisting Inuzuka Tsume with her work. If we receive reports that you are not cooperating, then your punishment will be decided by Hound of ANBU, who incidentally, you almost killed.

As for you elder Hyuuga, I am not about to imprison an old man. Instead, I will have you take on your clan’s curse mark and denounce your title. You may live out the rest of your days as a civilian member of your clan. However, if another attempt is made on myself or my son on your behalf, I will have no choice but to punish the clan. 

Now as far as I am concerned this matter is settled. I will ask that on behalf of Hound, an anonymous donation be made to one Umino Kohari, as she will be the one rehabilitating him for the foreseeable future. Any other concerns pertaining to this matter can be addressed individually at a later time. Everyone is dismissed. See to it the young man reports to Tsume or Hana when he is finished with any clan duties.”

The meeting hall cleared out save for Hiashi, Shikaku, and Minato. The latter sat rubbing his eyes while he waited for the halls to clear out.

“How bad were the boy’s injuries, Minato? I gather from what you said during the meeting, it’s not good.”

“The worst of his injuries was his back and legs. Even with Tsunade’s incredible healing abilities and hours of intense surgeries, there was fear he would never walk again. A report from Tsunade that reached me before the meeting said that thanks to some ‘miracle’ accident, his back is all but healed. His legs will recover after extensive rehabilitation and physical therapy, but I doubt he’ll return to ANBU. One can never tell with him, Hound always has a way of surprising even me.”

“I believe one of my clan’s practices may be able to help his recovery process, and I wish to do all I can to help the young man. I have a nephew in ANBU, Hound should know him. I can make arrangements for him to work with Hound and hopefully get him back up and running so to speak.”

“That would be greatly appreciated Hiashi, thank you. And thank you again for helping me with Naruto’s chakra leak. How is Hinata doing? I had heard she’d been ill recently, I hope it was nothing serious.”

“No no, she’s fine now. Unfortunately, the gift of the byakugan often comes at a cost. She will often battle with her health until she’s older. If her condition worsens, I may ask Lady Tsunade to evaluate her and if possible treat her.”

“She’ll be in all our thoughts Hiashi. Sadly I have a mountain of paperwork to complete if I wish to return home to Naruto for the night. Always a pleasure even under such circumstances.”

“Of course Lord Hokage, thank you for your understanding.”


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time skip! Birthday drama and opening ceremonies!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally the time skip! Now the real story begins! Please enjoy!

Chapter 4

Konoha Village October 10 

"Naruto if you don't hurry you'll be late! Shikamaru you need more than just toast, and honestly Shikaku stop setting a bad example for the boys!"

"Sheesh mom relax would ya? Naru your shoe is by the door, dad your folders are on your desk. Lord Dingbat your vest is on the rack with dad's. It's our first day at the academy, not our first s rank mission."

Naruto bounced down the stairs, barely catching himself on the last step. Minato laughed but headed to the drying rack by the sliding door, Shikaku tugs his son's ear on his way to his office.

"Sorry Shika! Ah Yoshi-san we can't stay for breakfast today! We're supposed to meet Ino and Choji before the opening ceremony ya know!"

"Alright but make sure to eat lunch today! And don't be late tonight you four!"

The Nara Clan had been planning a special birthday party for Naruto this year. He turns 5 this year, but passed the entrance exam to enter the academy early. Thanks to help from the people he counted as family, Naruto was already ahead of most kids in the academy.

Kakashi, Itachi, Jiraiya, Minato and Shikaku made sure they were all ready for the academy. 

“Shika have you seen my goggles? I left them on your dresser but I can’t find them… Oh, heh thanks. Alright let’s get going before Choji eats all the donuts again. Bye pops, see ya at the ceremony!”

Naruto grabbed Shikamaru’s hand and dragged him out the door, the latter rolling his eyes and barely keeping up. Growing up with Naruto had been both exciting and tiring, but he wouldn't give any of it up. Not that he would ever admit that. It was bad enough everyone they knew was aware of how he felt for the blonde boy. Naruto seemed oblivious when around others, but Shikamaru knew otherwise. They had already decided to wait until after graduation before they made anything official.

“Naru slow down would ya? The academy isn’t going anywhere and we still have several hours until the opening ceremony.”

“Yeah yeah but we promised Iruka-ni that we would be early to help set up. Besides, I don’t want to get caught in one of Kaka-sensei’s traps again.”  
“Learn how to read a genjutsu then. Didn’t Itachi-sensei say he would teach you how to break one?

“Yeah but then he took on that new group of ANBU and got too busy.”

“Naru, duck…”

“Huh..”

Naruto is suddenly flung through the air a few feet and barely manages to recover and land on his hands and knees. 

“I thought I told you to always keep your guard up little fox. Had I been a real enemy you would be dead now. Perhaps you aren’t ready to attend the academy just yet.”

“Che yeah right, ‘tachi! I thought you said you were so much better than me to get caught in an ambush?’

A dozen kunai shot through a bush right at Itachi, but he easily dodged them all. What he did not anticipate was Shikamaru’s shadow catching him.

“Well done, both of you. Naruto if you are still willing to learn to break a strong genjutsu, you can join in the training with the new ANBU this weekend. If your father agrees, I do not wish to incur his wrath nor be on the receiving end of his rasengan. Shikamaru, your father has already spoken with me about your training so you’ll be joining him for the time being.”

“Yeah the old man said something about that. It’s a drag but it can’t be helped.”

“I’m not happy about it either, but I get it. Dad said he would talk to you about training with me at the office today. Where’s Duck Butt?”

“Sasuke is avoiding his fan club and is currently hiding in the tree above us.”

“Dobe, did you forget to brush your hair again? That weird pink haired girl isn’t around is she? Ino I can handle because at least she’s useful, but that other girl is just annoying.”

“You mean Sakura? I haven’t seen her yet but she might show up with Ino. She didn’t pass the entrance test like we did so she has to wait a year. Ah crap we’re gonna be late! My dad’s stupid speach is in 30 minutes. We gotta go guys!”

“Naru let's take the trees, we can avoid the crowds and get there faster. Later Itachi-sensei. Keep up Sasuke.”

The three boys disappeared into the trees and Itachi shook his head with a smirk.   
“Crow to Hound, Naruto and company are headed your way.”

“Copy that Crow. Thanks for the head’s up. Hound to Dolphin, Mini Flash and crew are closing in on your location. Sensei kept me too long so I’m running behind. ETA 15”

“Copy that Hound, I have a visual on the target. Crow make a detour and pick up the donuts please. Dolphin out.”

Iruka chuckled at the antics of his friends and colleagues. They had been planning this opening ceremony since this group of kids showed signs of chakra. Given the special circumstances of this group of pre-genin, the entrance exam had to be made more challenging. It couldn't be said that they were showing favoritism to the clan kids or the Hokage’s son.

For Naruto and the clan kids, the test was harder and more focused on chakra control. For everyone else, they used the same exam as always, a basic skill assessment and knowledge assessment. Considering how young most of them were, it wasn’t surprising most of the kids in this generation didn’t pass.This would be the smallest class that would graduate in many years. 

“Iruka-ni! We made it!”

“Naru stop yelling, we’re all right here.”

“Idiot quit hitting my back or I’ll set your hair on fire again.”

Iruka’s smile faded slightly. This was going to be his first solo teaching position, and he got put as this group’s main teacher. Heaven help him.

“Alright settle down you three. Naruto when we’re here at the academy you have to remember to call me sensei okay? We don’t want the other kids thinking you’re getting special treatment. Now then, Sasuke, if you could help me set up the chairs, Naruto and Shikamaru, I need you two to put up the tables at the back of the room for the refreshments. 

Ino and Choji are running late since they had to stop and pick up the food and decorations. Kiba, Hinata and Shino are headed this way and I’ll have them finish the chairs. Let’s get to it.”

Everyone got started on the tasks they were given, and it didn’t take long for the others to show up. It took a total of two hours to finish everything, mainly because Shikamaru and Kiba kept arguing. While they were finishing up, the adults started showing up. Kakashi and Itatchi arrived first, followed by the Akimichi’s with Ino and Choji, Shikaku and Minato showed up followed closely by what appeared to be an army of ANBU.

Minato took his position at the front of the room and gave a shy smile.

“I’ve been Hokage for a few years now and I still get nervous in front of people. Good morning everyone, and welcome to the annual Opening Ceremony for the Shinobi Academy. This year’s class proves to be very interesting indeed. This will be the first year the academy has offered an advanced class, so please don’t hold it against the staff if things don’t go perfectly from the start.

It warms my heart to see so many familiar faces today. I’ve had the pleasure to watch most of you grow right in front of me, and now I get to be a part of one of the most important steps in your future. Congratulations all of you for passing the exam and making it into the advanced class. To the parents and friends of these young men and women, thank you for trusting us with your children.

We’ll now take this time to break down the curriculum and explain what makes this class different from all the others. Iruka, Kakashi, Itachi, Asuma, Kuronei, Shikaku, and Jiraiya, please join me for introductions. We’ll start with Iruka, if you please.”

Iruka took Minato’s place in the front of the room, and all the kids cheered and clapped, making the young instructor blush.

“My name is Umino Iruka, and I will be the home room teacher for the advanced class. My responsibility is to make sure the children are ready for their other classes, and to cover the parts of a shinobi’s job that take part outside of the mission such as reports and preparation. I will do my best to guide them through their time here and make sure they’re prepared for what lies ahead. 

My office will always be open to help out in whatever way they need. If you have any questions after the introductions, feel free to meet with me and I’ll gladly answer them if I can.”

Iruka gave a short bow and stepped back to let Kakashi step forward.

“Name’s Hatake Kakashi. Since ‘ruka-sensei forgot to mention it, I’ll explain why this course is different. As of today, the brats are now genin. Don’t start panicking, let me explain. No genin will be leaving the village until they graduate. We will be doing training exercises in the forest but nothing that will put them at risk.

The missions the kids will be doing will be basic D-rank missions around the village. I’m sure most of you have noticed there haven’t been any in the mission room. The kids will be learning on the job so to speak. By the time they graduate, they’ll be ready for the chunin exams. It was set up this way because of the amount of missions that go wrong and end up taking the lives of so many genin. The advanced course will total six years. Four to cover the classroom and basic training with the D-ranks. One year for team training under a jonin capitan, and then the final year.

The last year is for special training in different departments. This is to let the brats get an idea of what’s available to them once they graduate and take the chunin exams. And before anyone starts objecting, keep this in mind. If I think for even a moment that anyone of these kids aren’t ready, they won’t move on and take the exams, and will instead stay for additional time in the academy until they are ready. Most of you are aware I know first hand what can and will go wrong on a mission, especially if the shinobi is too young and not ready. Please keep all questions until the end. ‘Tachi your up.”

Itachi was tempted to roll his eyes but held back as he stepped forward.

“My name is Uchiha Itachi, and I am the head of ANBU. I will also be working with the children during the later parts of their time here. As Kakashi said before, the training missions your children will be taking on will not be outside the village. Myself and the ANBU team you see behind you, will be serving your children in two ways. The first will be training them in stealth and infiltration. The second will be to play the ‘enemy’ in mock missions we will be conducting before graduation to make certain they are ready for the exams and real missions. 

Please put your minds at ease, the only real danger the children will be in will be letting themselves down if they fail. No real harm will come to the children intentionally as I am sure aware accidents can always happen. Everything will be supervised and if anything seems wrong, everything will be stopped immediately until it’s once again safe. You will be encouraged to watch or even participate if you wish.

That is all I have to say, thank you.”

Asuma and Kuronei step forward after Itatchi returns to Kakashi’s side.

“This is Yuhi Kuronei and I’m Sarutobi Asuma. We’ll be taking on some of your kids for the training missions as their junin captains. And as the other two have said, you have nothing to worry about. Most of you should remember your D-ranks. Dog walking, picking up trash and the like. We’ll also be working with the different clans for some of the missions. Kuronei, anything you want to add?”

“Just that we’re all excited to be working with this class. Honestly, I’m jealous we didn’t have something like this when we started here.”

Leave it to the only woman in the group to cut the tension. They take their place back in the line to let Shikaku step up.

“Name’s Nara Shikaku, jonin commander and advisor to the Hokage. I’ll be the one responsible for assigning the genin groups and captains, assigning the missions, and lastly, keeping the kids out of harm’s way. I’ll be working with Uchiha Fugaku and Yamanaka Inoichi to handle discipline, and keeping the kids out of trouble while on missions in the village. I’ll say this right now, we will not hesitate to put any of these kids in a cell, especially our own. 

So for those of you who think any of the clan kids will get special treatment, think again. If anything, we’ll be twice as hard on them as we are the other kids. When these kids took the exam for this class, they gave up those privileges. If any kid acts up or puts others at risk, they will be removed from the class and forced to start from the beginning regardless of what level they are. 

Now I’ll turn things over to Jiraiya to close things out.”

Shikaku moved back and headed over to where Minato was standing. He was glad to be through with his part, he hated dealing with over entitled civilian parents.

“Hey folks! You guys as bored as I am right now? I’ve been informed that I can’t give my usual introduction, so the name’s Jiraiya. I’ll be working with the brats on summoning and sealing jutsu, and depending on how promising the kids might be, I’ll be teaching other special jutsus not usually taught in the academy. 

I won’t go into too much detail on it because frankly, if your kid is chosen by me to learn jutsu, it won’t be until after they graduate. So that’s all I got for ya. At the back of the room are some refreshments provided by the lovely Akimichi Reina, and set up by the kiddos. Iruka will also be standing by to answer any questions you have about everything covered today. Later kiddos!”

Finally the boring ceremony came to an end, and the kids were all released to join their families. Naruto ended up kicking Jiraiya in the gut for trying to give Shikamaru a copy of his latest book.

“Stupid Pervy Sage! Shika isn’t old enough for that trash. Go push it off on pops or Kashi!”

“Naru calm down. It was actually for my dad so I would have just burned it anyway. Choji go easy on the snacks. Don’t forget you’re coming to mine for dinner tonight.”

Naruto was about to respond when he caught sight of Kakashi lurking around Iruka. The grin on his face was pure mischief and made him resemble the fox that resided in him. Itachi wanted in on whatever scheme the boy was planning, as did his ANBU team.

“How can we help Naruto?”

“You got an extra mask guys? I’ve been practicing a new jutsu to tease pervy sage with and I wanna try it out on Kashi! I’ll also need a diversion to distract my dad.”

“Here, this one should work. It’s not yet assigned but he doesn’t know that. Bear, can you keep the Hokage occupied?”

A quick nod, and Naruto swears the guy was grinning behind that mask, and the ANBU was gone. Kuronei and Asuma decided they wanted in on this too and agreed to both distract Kakashi until he was ready, and keep an eye out for Ino and Tsunade.  
Naruto jumped into an empty closet and performed the hand signs for his transformation jutsu. With a puff of smoke, the young boy was gone and in his place stood a buxom blonde with pigtails. She had on a mesh bodysuit and the ANBU body shield and nothing else. With a smirk, she pulled on the rabbit ANBU mask and walked out.

Luckily, the closet was right behind Kakashi so he wouldn't draw too much attention to himself before the jutsu wore off. He snuck up behind Kakashi and threw his arms around the man’s waist.

“Oh wow, it’s Hatake Kakashi! You’re even more handsome in person! Wanna have some fun?”

Kakashi nearly fell over in his haste to turn around and get this person off him. Of all the times for this to happen why did it have to be now? As soon as he saw the girl the part of his face that was visible above his mask went red. 

“Hey now, cut that out. I’m not that kind of guy. Who put you up to this, was it Bear or Crow?”

Iruka, knowing full well the girl was actually Naruto and not wanting to spoil the fun, walked over to the distressed Kakashi.

“Oh so this is your type, Kakashi? I thought for sure you went more for the prudish type.”

By this time they were starting to gather a crowd, so Itachi composed himself and grabbed hold of Naruto.

“Come now Rabbit, you’ve had enough fun embarrassing the poor man. Where is your uniform?”

Quickly using shunshin, Itatchi got Naruto out of the room and into the hall just in time for the jutsu to wear off, and for his father to see it all.

“I must admit that was quite the transformation there, Naruto.Though I doubt Kakashi will appreciate you making fun of him in front of all those people. Be sure to apologize properly later. And expect him to retaliate during training later, Itachi.”

Minato laughed heartily at the pale faces of both boys and shook his head. Sometimes it paid to be Hokage. Like his name implied, he was gone in a flash. Naruto and Itachi both went back into the room and found Kakashi glaring with a fake eye smile.

“That’s a nifty jutsu there Naruto. Thankfully, Iruka-sensei was kind enough to explain to me what was going on. I’m relieved everyone else saw it as a demonstration of your skills and praised me for my patience as one of your instructors. I will deal with at home Naruto. As for you Itachi, I’ll see you at training ground four tonight. Do not be late.”

“I’m sorry Kashi-ni, I didn’t think about where we were and almost got you in trouble. I didn’t mean to…”

“I understand that Naruto, but you need to accept responsibility for your actions. You wanted to skip ahead and prove to everyone you were ready for the academy, so that means you’re ready to accept the punishment for your actions. Be glad it’s your birthday and I realized you weren’t trying to get me fired or arrested. Otherwise you’d not be joining the academy for another 2 years. 

Starting tomorrow, I will be one of your instructors and you will show me the same respect you would give any of your other teachers. I’m not saying all this to be mean, Naruto. Had you pulled this stunt while on a mission you’d be spending the night at the police station. Now I’m getting out of here before I say or do something we’ll both regret later.”

Iruka watched as Kakashi stormed off out the door, then looked down at Naruto. The poor kid looked like someone had just killed his best friend. If he tried to comfort the boy now, it would only undermine Kakashi. Thankfully, it wasn’t necessary.

“You moron are you trying to undo everything Kaka-sensei went through and did to get you a chance to take that test early? Even your dad was against it but Kakashi stuck his neck out for you. Dummy you better fix this. Lets go before you cause more trouble.”

“‘ruka-sensei, I… I..”

“I know Naruto. I will talk to Kakashi but you need to think about what he and Shikamaru said. I’ll see you later tonight.”

Naruto and Shikamaru left the building and headed home. When they reached the property, Naruto took off ahead of Shikamaru and ran as fast as he could. He jumped up, switching to run through the trees and try to lose his friend for a while. He needed to be alone.

“Naruto wait up! Dammit Naru mom will be mad if we’re late to lunch.”

Naruto kept going until Shikamaru could no longer see him. As long as Naruto stayed on the grounds, he’d be safe. Shikamaru didn’t think Naruto should be alone right now though, his friend seemed to be more upset than he should have been.

Naruto stopped running once he was sure he was alone. He let himself drop to the ground on his hands and knees, and then he let himself cry. It started as a few tears at first, but gradually turned into sobs. 

In his mind, he kept repeating the disappointed look in Kakashi’s eye. The hurt and the disappointment were worse than any anger or punishment Kakashi could give him. He never intended to get Kakashi in trouble, it was just supposed to be a funny prank. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt his big brother. 

Naruto stayed like this until he cried himself to sleep. A few hours later, he was woken up by the sound of dogs barking and people calling out his name. He sat up just in time to be pounced on by Pakkun and Biscuit.

“Thank the stars we found you kid! Biscuit, go back and let the others know we found him. I’ll wait here for the boss. You scared the hell out of us kid. Kakashi has been going nuts since he got back and you were missing.”

“I just needed some time to myself and ended up falling asleep. I’m okay Pakkun, honest.”

Pakkun never had a chance to reply before Kakashi appeared and hauled Naruto into his arms. He didn’t say a word, just held the boy close and breathed in his scent. Naruto was here, he was safe. Safe, his little brother, his sensei’s son, was in his arms and safe.

Once the fear had calmed some, the shaking sobs and tears flooded him.

“I’m so sorry Naruto. I didn’t mean to make you run away. I know you didn’t mean any harm in your prank, and I’m sorry I was too hard on you. Please just come home, please..”

“Kaka-ni I didn’t run away, I just needed to be alone for a while. I didn’t want anyone to see me cry so.. I’m sorry I disappointed you sensei. I won’t do it again so please don’t hate me.”

“Naruto I could never hate you. I might get mad or not like something you do like that prank, but I could never hate you. It wasn’t even the prank that had me upset.”

“I know, Shika explained it to me. I honestly didn’t even think about that, I just wanted to show you my new jutsu. And since we were at school, I thought it would be okay.”

Now Kakashi felt both stupid and slightly sick. For all Naruto boasts and his skills aside, he is still just a kid. Five years old, and wouldn’t understand why what he did was so wrong. To him it was just a harmless prank that would have made people laugh. He didn’t see the dangers that jutsu could cause.

“I’m sorry Naruto. I forget sometimes that you're still so young. It wasn’t the prank itself, but the jutsu. If Iruka hadn’t been there, or known it was you, I could have been in serious trouble. Do you understand why?”

“Not really. I get that it has something to do with sex right?”

“I would ask how you even know about that but then I remember Jiraiya taught you how to read and write. Yes, it has something to do with sex. In the shinobi world, it is forbidden for adults to have sex with anyone under the age of 18. Adults meaning anyone over 18. It’s also forbidden for teachers to have sex with their students no matter how old they are. If someone had thought I was having sex with you, lets just say the punishment would be severe.”

“I didn’t know! Honest I didn’t! I promise ni-chan if I knew I wouldn’t have done it! I don’t want to lose you!”

“Hey hey, calm down now. It’s alright Naruto. I know you weren’t aware of that, and like I said, Iruka explained everything to the people and no harm was done. Itachi should have known better and I will still beat the crap out of him, but I think you’ve been punished enough now. Let’s get you inside before you catch a cold and Yoshino has my neck. Also, your dad showed everyone your baby pictures, including the bath ones.”

“Do we have to go back sensei?”

Kakashi laughed and lifted Naruto over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry and ran back to the house. Naruto begging him not to the whole way,

Watching the scene with a smile, red hair flowing on the wind, Uzumaki Kushina stood. She lifted her hand in a small wave, and whispered as she faded away.

“Happy Birthday Naruto I miss you.”


	6. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday Naruto!!! Slight feels in this chapter, but mostly fluff and a quick peak at future ships!

Chapter 5

Konoha Village October 10 Nara Estate 

Kakashi and Naruto entered the estate through the back sliding door. Once inside, Naruto was tugged into Shikamaru’s chest and small arms wrapped around him. Naruto just nodded and hugged his closest friend, the adults paid them no mind. 

“You’re freezing, jeez. Leave it to you to fall asleep outside. You wanna head up and take a hot shower? Need to change your clothes too, grass stains all over the place.”

“Honestly, I just wanna go to bed but I know everyone put so much work into this party, so I’ll stay.”

“What do you want to do? Dad is hiding in his office with Lord Dingbat, who is hiding from Kaka-sensei. That means shogi is out, Sasuke is on the roof with ‘tachi-senpai because of Sakura being here with Ino. Choji is with the moms in the kitchen, no surprise there.”

Naruto cracked a small smile. Choji could always be found in the kitchen.

“Kinda wanna go see my mom but I don’t want the adults around, ya know? Everyone makes such a big deal about my birthday but..”

“You still have that picture your dad gave you?”

“Yeah why?”

“Go upstairs and grab it, and put on something warm then meet me by the pond.”

Naruto agreed and headed up to his room. He changed into his training clothes and grabbed the photo from his bedside table, then ran back downstairs and out the door. He really didn’t want to deal with everyone else tonight. Kakashi had said everything was okay, but it didn’t feel that way to him. While he waited for Shika, Naruto looked at his mom’s smiling face. 

“Naru, you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah ‘m fine Shika. Where are we going? And what’s with the bag?”  
“Just follow me and you’ll see. We aren’t going far, but there’s a spot in the forest I found as a kid. Only dad knows about it, and he knows that’s where I’ll be if I’m not at home.”

They walked in comfortable silence, hand in hand until they reached a rocky outcropping that hid the entrance to what appeared to be a cave. 

“I couldn’t find my flashlight so it’s probably just best to stay out here for now since it’s probably pitch black inside. Out here no one will bother us. I brought a blanket and some incense for you. It’s not a proper shrine, but for now it should be okay. From what I understand, your mom would probably like it better this way.”

Shikamaru set up the burner and lit the fragrant sticks. He scooted them over next to the rocks where the ground was more level, then gently took the frame from Naruto and placed it behind the display. He took a moment to pay his respects, then moved away to let Naruto have his time alone.

“Shika, can you..”

Naruto’s throat was suddenly tight with emotions, and if he didn’t know before how he really cared about Shikamaru, he did now. Shika always knew what he needed, even when he couldn’t find the words.

Shikamaru sat on the grass behind Naruto, wrapping them both in them in the blanket as he held the blonde close. Naruto leaned his back into Shikamaru’s chest and rested his head on the older boy’s shoulder. They stayed this way for a long time just enjoying the peace the forest provided. After a little while, Naruto sat up and looked at his mother’s picture.

There were times like these, that he really wished she was here. He would never tell Shika, even though secretly he figured the boy already knew, that he was jealous of his peers that still had both their parents. This was probably why he felt so close to Kakashi and Iruka who had both lost at least one if not both of their parents. Iruka lost his dad during an attack on the village the same night Naruto lost his mom and when he was born. Kakashi didn’t remember much about his mom, but never talked about his dad. Just that his dad died a hero of Konoha no matter what anyone said about it.

“I miss you mom. It’s been another year without you, but just like before, I haven’t been alone. I have Shika still, pops says we’ve always been attached. Yoshino asked if she could use some of your cookbooks and display your albums. Dad said it was up to me, but I think he really wanted to say yes. He misses you too, but he doesn’t cry at night anymore so maybe he’s finally getting better.

We started at the academy today, and ‘ruka-ni is gonna be my sensei now! Jiraiya-jiji said he’s gonna train me after graduation too, and promised to take me to where you’re from! I don’t like that I have to be away from home for so long, but I’m also excited to learn more about you. He even said we have cousins that survived, and that I can meet one of them some day! 

I kinda made a mess of things today, but I bet you saw it huh? Dad said I get my pranks from you but ba-chan said I got it from you both. I didn’t mean to cause trouble for Kashi-ni though, and I know he said it was okay but… It doesn’t feel like it. 

I wanna be better, ya know? I want to make everyone proud of me and I don’t want to make trouble for them. Well mom, it’s getting late and Yoshi-san is probably looking for us so we gotta go now. Love you mom, and we’ll visit again.”

Naruto turned in Shikamaru’s arms and buried his face in the crook of his neck. Shikamaru just hummed and wrapped his arms and the blanket tighter around Naruto.

“Mom knows where we are, when it’s time to eat, dad will send the deer to get us. I’ve got you Naru, just rest for a while.”

Shikamaru waited until he was certain Naruto was asleep, then he looked over at the picture of the boy’s mother.

“We’re all trying to help them heal Kushina-san. I can’t and won’t promise to protect him, because he can protect himself. I will however, promise to look after him and heal whatever wounds this life will cause him. Please continue to watch over him and Minato-sensei. And thank you for the sacrifice you made five years ago, without it, he wouldn’t be here.”

Shikamaru rested his forehead against the top of Naruto’s fluffy blonde spikes and placed a kiss there. He could already hear the footsteps of the deer getting closer, so he gently shook Naruto’s shoulder.

“Come on Naru, it’s time to go. We’ll come back after school tomorrow and we can go into the cave.”

“Mm’kay Shika. Think I’ll give your mom that one cookbook she likes so much. I can’t cook and neither can dad. Bet my mom would like that her recipes are being shared with her, ya know?”

“That will make her cry Naru, but go for it. She’ll take good care of it and it will make her happy too. Come on now you have to walk, and people say I’m lazy. Sheesh what a drag.”

Naruto giggled at the hidden smirk on Shikamaru’s face as they gathered up their stuff and headed back to the house. The party was still in full swing, accept now everyone was inside and waiting on the birthday boy.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY NARUTO!!!!”

The megawatt smile and genuine laugh the boy let out, melted every heart in the room. Even at this young age, everyone knew that one day Naruto would accomplish so much. He had a charm and charisma that could befriend even the coldest of people. It was one of the reasons that despite being the jinchuriki, not many people feared him. There were some civilians in the village that thought Naruto was just a troublemaker, but that too would change one day.

Naruto clapped his hands together when the biggest bowl he’d ever seen was placed before him. The bowl was filled to the brim with Ichiraku’s barbecued pork ramen, eggs, onions, fish cakes, and even five sparklers in place of candles. He looked around at the people seated around the table. These people were precious to him, they had become his family in the five years he’d known them. Even though he couldn’t see her, he knew his mother was there with everyone else. He could feel warmth and love in his heart that was stronger than the others.

With a lopsided grin, he closed his eyes and blew out the sparklers only to laugh hysterically when they relit. Kakashi laughed and pulled them out of the bowl with a fake ‘sorry about that kiddo didn’t think they’d do that’ and Naruto took a huge bite of the delicious ramen.

“Teuchi-jiji! Ayame-ne! This is the best bowl of ramen you’ve ever made!!! I could probably eat two more of these, ya know!”

“Well then eat up! There’s plenty more where that came from.”

All at once people were talking, telling stories of the good old days when Naruto only babbled and cooed instead of talking, Minato was showing off baby pictures again, Jiraiya hugged Tsunade and cried about not being there more, Ino was arguing with Sakura over who would get to talk to Saskue, Sasuke looked at the floor like he wished it would swallow him whole, Itachi was enjoying Sasuke’s suffering a little too much. 

Yoshino came bustling out of the kitchen followed by Izumo and Kotetsu after the ramen had been finished. Naruto knew the two shinobi through Iruka. They usually held posts at the West Gate and always had the best stories to tell. The two men were smiling and waving at Naruto.

“Sorry we’re late kid. Had to wait for someone to relieve us, and then we had to head back to the barracks because we forgot your gift.”

Kotetsu smirked and winked at Naruto, knowing full well the ‘gift’ would probably get him a rasengan to the back of his head. It was no secret Naruto loved only two things, aside from Shikamaru, and those two things were frogs and foxes. Last year, Jiraiya had given Naruto his plush frog wallet and the kid never left home without it. Not one to be out done on gifts, Kotetsu had gotten Naruto a very special gift. He just prayed it wouldn’t get him killed.

MInato eyed Kotetsu warily. The man had a knack for causing mischief that was worse than Kushina’s.

“Well Kotetsu, since it’s time to start giving presents, why don’t you go first.”

“Uh… Sure Lord Hokage.”

Kotetsu swallowed the lump forming in his throat and smacked a sniggering Izumo. He left back into the kitchen and came back carrying a medium sized box.

“I realize that I probably should have gotten permission first, but I didn’t see any harm. Here ya go kid, happy birthday.”

Naruto reached for the box, only to jerk back in response to it moving. There was something alive in the box! It moved again and this time a noise came out. It was a chirping sound, much like a… Naruto tore open the box and looked inside. 

There inside the box, was a summons. Not just any summons either, it was a rare summons that hadn’t been seen since the fall of the Uzushino. A little ball of bright orange fluff, pointed ears and two fluffy tails.

“Where in all the lands did you find that, Kotetsu!?”

“I would like to know as well.”

Figuring that he was still alive and in one piece, Kotetsu helped Naruto take his new furry friend out.

“Uh that’s kind of a secret Jiraiya-sensei. I mean I can tell the hokage but only because I kind of have to”

Naruto had completely tuned everyone out, and was currently staring at the two tailed kitsune summons in his lap. A pair of fierce but curious ice blue eyes stared back at him. The fox tilted it’s head and Naruto copied.

“Can you hear me kit?”

Naruto’s eyes widened slightly and he nodded at the fox.

“We can speak later, for now I will tell you my name. To summon me to you, you need only call it out. My name is Kyo.”

Naruto blinked for a moment and the voice in his head was gone. He couldn’t wait to talk with Kyo.

“Well son, what’s his name?”

“Huh? Oh he said it’s Kyo. At least I think it was him. Not really sure.”

Surprisingly the fox nodded and yipped. 

“Kitsune are extremely rare summons, Naruto. Not much is known about them, but we do have some information about them in the archives. They choose only one person to serve, and they stay with that person until the person dies. The contract is different from other summons contracts as well. Instead of signing some agreement, the summons forms a bond with the person they choose. Kind of like imprinting I believe. Shikaku, do the Nara have anything else on the kitsune? Perhaps something that can help Naruto?”

“Afraid not, not really anyway. I have a feeling this little guy will be able to tell Naruto what he needs to know. Now let’s get on with the gift giving. Naruto, this is from Yoshino and me. Not as flashy as that summons you have, but it’s just as valuable in this village.”

Shikaku handed Naruto a small box that was unwrapped. It was just a plain wooden box no bigger than a deck of cards. Naruto opened the box and gasped at what was inside. Nestled into a piece of black cloth was a piece of deer antler that had the village symbol carved into it on one side, and his name on the other.

“Thank you Shikaku-senpai! This is so cool! Shika will you help me put this on?”

“Still haven’t figured out how to tie a simple knot dobe?”

“No more than you’ve learned how to tame bedhead duck butt!”

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and stood behind Naruto to tie the rope behind his neck. He sat back down beside Naruto and handed him a package wrapped in paper and tied with string.

“Figured this would keep you from stealing mine all the time.”

Naruto quickly opened the package and nearly cried. This sweater wasn’t like Shika’s, it was his. He would have to thank the older boy later, for now he would pretend.

“Awesome! I can’t help it though Shika! It’s so heavy and warm, like a blanket.”

Everyone laughed at the put upon whine from the blonde. The next gift came from the Uchiha clan. Mikoto apologized to Naruto that Fugaku and Shisui couldn’t make it to the party, but they both sent birthday wishes and had helped with the gift.

“The Uchiha clan is vast and we have allies in almost every village across the map. When you’re out on missions and find yourself in trouble, just show this to anyone in a place that bears this symbol, and they will help you.”

“Thank you so much Mikoto-san! I’ll stitch this into my jacket so I never lose it! Please thank Fugaku-senpai and Shi-ni for me too.”

“I will and I’m glad you like it Naruto.”

One by one his friends and surrogate family presented him with gifts that he held precious. From the Yamanaka clan, Naruto received a set of custom shuriken. From the Sarutobi clan he received a set of chakra blades and a promise from Asuma to teach him how to use them. Jiraiya had given Naruto a piece of paper with the instructions to meet him later to learn a new jutsu, which he assured Minato was not dangerous. The Hyuuga clan presented Naruto with his very own shogi set and an invitation to train in their dojo. The Aburame assured Naruto their gift was not bugs, but instead was a new weather proof coat much like the ones they worm except it was orange.

The Inuzuka clan gave Naruto his very own leather bag so he could keep his supplies safe when out on missions. Tsunade presented Naruto with her grandfather’s necklace, which had them both in tears, under the promise that one day Naruto would take over and let his dad retire.

The final gift of the night came from Minato, and to Naruto, it was the best out of them all. His dad agreed to teach Naruto all of his jutsus. 

“Now you must understand Naruto, that most of these jutsus can be very dangerous if used inappropriately. You have to promise me that you will never use them except in a spar with myself or Jiraiya, your life is in immediate danger or unless you have no other choice. I am putting my trust in you to keep your promise to me.”

“I promise I won’t let you down.”

After a very emotional hug between father and son, everyone said their goodbyes and left for the night save for a few people.

Iruka, Kakashi, and Itachi stayed behind under the pretense of helping Yoshino clean up after the party. The three nodded to each other and told Naruto to meet them outside for a moment.

Out in the garden, Naruto looked at his mentors and waited to see why they called him out.

“We haven’t given you our presents yet Naruto. Iruka, you go first.”

Iruka handed Naruto a gift bag and smiled.

“This one is actually from Genma. He’s out on a mission so I promised to give it to you for him.”

Naruto laughed when he pulled out a set of senbon and a pouch to keep them in. Leave it the senbon expert.  
“This one is from me. No one else but your dad and the Nara’s knows this yet, but you and Shikamaru actually tied for the top score on the exam. There was actually a long drawn out debate on whether or not you needed to actually attend the academy or not. Eventually we all decided that it would benefit you more to have the time in the academy so that you can gain the experiences you’ll need. 

Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto, as your primary instructor at the Shinobi Academy in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, I present you with this hitai-ate. Wear this with pride Naruto, you’ve earned it. And before you ask, yes Shikamaru is getting his tonight too. His clan has a special ceremony they do for it. Lord Hokage are you sure this is okay?”

Naruto startled for a moment when his father popped in beside him.

“Of course it is. She entrusted your family with this task and I agree with her. As his teacher it’s your duty.”

Iruka nodded and took the head band from Minato’s hand and gave it to Naruto. Minato smiled at the confused look on his son’s face.

“That was your mother’s genin hitai-ate. Originally, we thought Iruka’s father would end up being your teacher. Your mother gave that to him so that one day he would give it to you. When he died five years ago, Kohari held onto it until after Iruka became an instructor at the academy. Now, he’s your teacher and he’s giving it to you.”

Naruto tried not to cry, he really did. Nothing could stop the tears though, not this time. His grip on the head band tightened as he brought it to his chest. Everyone waited to give Naruto time to calm himself, but really they shouldn’t have. He had a feeling he was going to be shedding even more tears tonight.

“Since Kakashi is intent on going last, I will go next. My mother presented our clan symbol to you on behalf of the clan, but I have my own gift as well. Much like Kakashi, I had the pleasure of knowing your mother. Kushina was an interesting yet amazing kunoichi. She had a mischievous streak and a knack for trouble far greater than your own. Shortly after she became a genin, she was caught sneaking into the Hokage Tower with a bucket of paint and this.”

Itachi pulled a small pocket knife that was engraved with U.K and handed it to Naruto.

“I found it in a box full of things that had been left in the ANBU interrogation rooms over the years. I cleaned it up, and that’s when I saw the engravings. Your father told me that story and I knew I had to return it, so I’m giving it to you. Happy Birthday little fox.”

Yep he was right, the tears were coming again. He was smiling ear to ear though so no one was too worried. Finally Kakashi ste[[ed forward and ruffled Naruto’s hair.

“The reason I had to go last, is because I can’t give him his actual present just yet. Not officially anyway. Still wanna smack Kotetsu later, so remind me to do that sensei. You know how my ninken are also summons?”

Naruto nodded his head, he had often wondered about that.

“Technically there are three types of summons; spirit, physical and familiar. A spirit summon would be like Jiraiya-sensei’s toads or Tsunade-bachan’s slug. A physical summon’s would be things like doors or weapons, but a familiar summon is entirely different.

They don’t have a set amount of time they can remain on our plane like the other two do, and there is no real contract per se. With your fox, you create basically a soul bond, where you can communicate through your minds. With my ninken, we formed a blood bond when I was still a brat. They can choose to stay with us at all times like my pack and your fox, or they can come and go from their own world as they please.

You can form a bond with more than one, so long as they agree to it first. For now, it’s best you work with Kyo before trying to bring in another. When the time is right, I’ll give you another summon that should be a perfect match for your kitsune. Until then, I will help you build up your chakra so that you can use it to help your summons when needed without depleting you.”

Naruto tackled Kakashi, knocking the teen flat on his back with a laugh.

"Thank you thank you thank you!! I have the best big brothers ever! Oh Kashi-ni when are you gonna marry 'ruka-ni?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the teaser of Boruto meeting Neji has given me ideas, also seeing the third hokage use the crystal ball gave me even more. See you next episode!


	7. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First day of school! Excitement, discoveries, and heart ache!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains some rudeness, light bullying and Sakura bashing. The first time I watched Naruto, I always felt bad for the girl because I thought Sasuke was being unreasonable to her. After the 100th time I watched it, I realized it wasn't Sasuke who was mistreating Sakura. The girl is self absorbed, rude and annoying. If you're a fan of her's, I highly suggest you stop reading this fic now and step away. The bashing will continue. Thank you so much to everyone who left kudos and comments. They inspire me to keep the chapters coming! See you next episode!

Chapter 6

Konoha Village Shinobi Academy

“Morning Yoshi-san! Have you seen my jacket? I can’t find it anywhere!”

“Good morning Naru-chan, your jacket is in Shika’s room on the back of his desk chair. Put some pants on Naruto, even if your froggy boxers are adorable, we don’t need to see them.”

“Gah! Sorry sorry, and thank you! I’ll wake up Lazy for ya!”

Naruto dashed down the hall and up the stairs to Shikamaru’s room. Last night he’d slept in his own bed at home. He’d been missing his dad and Kakashi so he decided to spend some time with them after the party. Shikamaru had understood, in fact, he had insisted. It was hard getting to sleep at first, he’d gotten so used to being with Shika. Thankfully he hadn’t had any nightmares. 

An orange ball of fluff hopped up on his shoulder as he reached the door, and he gave the animal a quick scratch.

“Where ya been, Kyo? Out hunting huh?”

“I’ve been around. Last night seemed important for you so I felt it necessary to give you some time. We have plenty of time later to talk and train. For now I will simply observe you.”

“Fair enough. It’s about to get loud, thought I’d warn ya.”

Kyo was a bit shocked by this, since when had a human cared about a summon’s sensitive hearing? This Naruto was an interesting character indeed. The fox hopped off the boy’s shoulder and perched on the dresser to watch mischief unfold. Perhaps this child was actually a kitsune in disguise..

Naruto flung himself onto Shikamaru’s futon, right on top of his sleeping friend. A loud frantic shout, followed by some very colorful language soon followed.

“The hell is wrong with you? You trying to kill me or what?”

“Hehe Hey Shika! Today is the first day of actual classes, I was so excited I couldn’t sleep! I was up before dad and Kashi-ni.”

Shikamaru blinked at Naruto a few times before he groaned and fell back on the pillows.

“Your dad made tea again didn’t he? Or worse, you were up playing shogi with my dad and he gave you coffee. Where are your pants Naru?”

“I couldn’t find my jacket so I came over to see if your mom had seen it, I was in such a hurry I forgot I wasn’t wearing them. And dad made black tea for him and Kashi but I took a drink when they weren’t looking. Anyway come on, get up! I’ll run back and grab my pants. You better be up and getting ready or else!”

Naruto hopped up and took off out the door, Shikamaru could hear his dad laughing downstairs and his mom scolding Naruto about running on the stairs. 

“Idiot must have tripped again. It’s not even time to get up yet. Oh I didn’t see you there. Kyo right?”

“Correct. What is your name human? I can sense you are a Nara so you should be able to understand me.”

“Yep, I’m Shikamaru. I hope you choose to stay with Naruto, he could really use your guidance and wisdom.”

“I am intrigued young Nara, you seem to know much about my kind. What is most curious to me, is that you do not wish to discourage the kit from causing mischief. Why? I was under the impression that humans were not approving of such behaviors.”

“Why would I change anything about him? Being a prankster is a part of who he is, without it he wouldn’t be Naruto. His mom was the same way I heard. She used to play pranks and jokes on the villagers just for the reactions they caused. There are some in the village who don’t approve of that part of him, and like with his mother, they blame it on the kyuubi.”

Kyo shot across the room and grew in size before pinning Shikamaru to the floor.

“That kit is the jinchuriki for Kurama-dono? Speak the truth boy, as I can smell a lie.”

“Yes. Lord Hokage sealed the kyuubi in Naruto the day he was born. If you plan to hurt him…”

“You’re a brave one, Shikamaru. I admire your courage, but fear not. I will not harm the kit. If he is indeed the jinchuriki, then he is sacred to my kind. I can tell that you have love for him, but you harbor fear for this love. Why?”  
“In our world, humans who love others of the same gender are often hated. Some have even been shunned or killed for it. I don’t care what happens to me, but I don’t want Naru to get hurt because of who he loves.”

“As I feared then, humans really haven’t changed in the last twenty years. Fear not boy, no harm will come to the kit as long as I am with him. He is returning so you should dress. Tell no one you saw me transform.”

Kyo shrunk back to size just as Shikamaru’s door flew open and Shikaku stood armed and ready to kill wielding a closed fuuma shuriken.

“The alarm sensors were going nuts Shika what happened?”

“Did you remember to adjust them for Kyo? Seriously old man, I think your getting senile on us. Can I get dressed now, or are you going to watch?”

Shikaku glared at his son but sighed and left the room closing the door behind him. Relieved, Shikamaru got out of bed and got dressed. Seeing as no one was going to let him go back to sleep any time soon, he might as well go grab some food.

By the time he made it down the stairs and into the kitchen, Kyo one step behind him, Naruto latched his arms around Shikamaru’s neck and he clung to the slightly taller boy.

“Shika, guess what?!”

“You stole more of your dad’s tea?”

“Well yeah but that’s not it! Kashi-ni had this weird mark on his neck and dad asked him what attacked him and Kashi blushed so red! Then I realised he didn’t have on his mask! Shika I saw Kashi’s face! His whole face!”

Shikaku snorted and spit coffee all over the table.

“Naruto please tell me, I gotta know! What is hiding under his mask?”

“I can’t tell you that Shikaku-sensei. He swore he’d shave my head if I told anyone. I can tell you that it was ‘ruka-sensei that attacked Kashi-ni. I don’t know why but that’s what Kashi told dad.”

Shikaku and Yoshino erupted in laughter at Naruto’s confused innocence. They prayed he never lost that quality. Minato and Kakashi both entered the kitchen and looked at the laughing couple, and then at a pouting Naruto.

“Do I want to know what we missed?”

“No sensei, I don’t think I want to either. Alright brat let's get going, Naruto I promised I would go with you to see your mom after school but only if you behave for ‘ruka. That means no pranks during class. Shikamaru, try to sit between him and Sasuke if you can. Last thing we need is for those two to start arguing during a lesson. And no sleeping during the lessons you two. I don’t care how smart you are and how boring the lessons will be, no sleeping.”

Both boys groaned but promised to behave themselves. Then Shikamaru remembered something he had to ask Minato about.

“Uh Lord Hokage, can I have a word with you please?”

The room became deathly quiet, and everyone looked at Shikamaru like he’d grown a second head. It was rather unnerving to say the least, what was worse was the way Minato looked at him.

“Who are you and what have you done with Shikamaru? That kid has only ever addressed me as Lord Dingbat even in the presence of the Daimyo.”

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. So that’s what this is all about.

“I’m trying to be serious but if you want to be a dingbat then I can go back to calling you that.”

“No no, I’ll cooperate. Honestly Shi this kid could teach Ibiki a thing or two.”

“Tell me about it. Well you better get to it Lord Dingbat, you have a meeting to get to.”

Minato swatted his friend and followed Shikamaru into his dad’s office.

“What did you need to speak with me about?”

“Is there a way for me to get a job in the tower? Even if it’s just running errands or something? I already talked about it with my dad, and he said I had to talk to you about it.”

“If it’s alright with your father I see no issues in it, but I need to ask why. Usually you spend all your free time with Naruto and your friends, why change that now?”

“I’m lazy but far from stupid. When we graduate, I know Naruto is going to go off and train with Jiraiya-sensei. I don’t want to be left behind though. I know someday he’ll take your place as Hokage, and I want to stay at his side. Dad has already started training me to take over the clan and his position as jonin commander, but he said I had to decide if I wanted to take on his mantle as assistant to the Hokage too. 

I know you guys only see us as kids, but I know what I want. I’ve given a lot of thought to this and I know it means I’ll have to give up being an active shinobi but…”  
“That’s not the case at all. We don’t see you as kids, Shika. We have to remind ourselves that you are just kids. If we didn’t think you boys were capable or ready, you would still be pre-genin and not in the advanced classes. 

Furthermore, being the Hokage’s assistant does not mean being taken off the active list. Sure your dad doesn’t go off on missions, but that was his choice. When you were born, he chose to be placed on stand by unless there was an attack on the village or we went into war. Being an active shinobi means there’s a chance you may never come home. Shikaku didn’t want to leave your mother alone to raise you, and he also wanted to be there for you. 

Honestly that’s the only reason I accepted the hat. Yes being Hokage is dangerous and time consuming, but it meant I could be home with Kushina when she was carrying Naruto. And now, I’m grateful to this hat because it means I got to be a father to him and a teacher again. 

I admire your determination and ambition Shika, but I think you should slow down and be a kid for a little while longer. I will make a deal with you. Wait until you finish at least the first four years of basics, then come ask me again. If you still want the job, it will be waiting for you. If not, then I will help you in any way I can. Do we have a deal?”

Shikamaru gave Minato’s words some thought. He had a point, as much as he hated to admit it, six years old was still just a kid. He would have plenty of time to think about the future.

“Alright, we have a deal, but on one condition. The first chunin exams this year are being held here in Konoha. I know none of us are ready for it, but we want to know what to expect when the time comes for us. Let us work the exams, maybe not as proctors, but at the very least something that lets us see them.”

“I would agree to that but it’s out of my hands. Your father is in charge of the chunin exams this year since Iruka was chosen as the last stage proctor. You’ll need to convince him to let you all participate.”

“Fair enough, it was worth a shot. Thank you for giving me some of your time, Minato-sensei. Oh before I forget, can you please stop letting Naruto have so much caffeine in the morning? It’s a miracle I can move right now.”

Minato laughed and ruffled Shikamaru’s hair as they walked back into the kitchen to have breakfast with the others. Naruto was surprisingly calm and focused on a game of shogi against Shikaku, who was actually losing this time. Kakashi was half asleep in his bowl of Miso until Yoshio popped the back of his head with a spoon and Kyo had shrunk even smaller, and was curled up on Yoshino’s narrow shoulder.

“You boys barely have time to eat so you better sit. Ino, Choji and Sasuke are waiting outside the gates to walk with you boys to school. Minato your meeting starts in twenty minutes so I made your breakfast to go. Shikaku you can lose to Naru-chan again later. He needs to eat and you need to get going.”

Leave it to Yoshino to keep everyone on track. His mother was a drag sometimes but they’d be lost without her. Everyone finished eating and headed out the door. Naruto stopped and grabbed his and Shikamaru’s dishes to carry them into the kitchen. Yoshino cooed at the boy.

“Thank you so much Naru-chan but I don’t mind handling this. You run along to school, and be good for Iruka-sensei. He’s already nervous about this.”

“Yes ma’am! Bye Yoshi-san!”

Shikamaru shook his head and slung his arm over Naruto’s shoulders as they headed out the door and down the path to the property gates. He could see their friends waiting for them as they waved and called out to the pair. Naruto smiled and waved back, and Shikamaru just inclined his head. It was too early for socializing. 

“Morning you two. Have you heard the latest gossip in town?”

“Nope, and I don’t really want to either.”

“Shika don’t be rude to Ino. Nah we haven’t heard much of anything from town. Not since the party anyway. What happened? And does it have anything to do with why Sasuke looks like he’s about to bolt?”

“Yep! So the buzz around town is that a group of the regular course students demanded a retry at the advanced level exam. The counsel had to agree to it or the kids’ family’s would cause problems later. So those kids took the test and all but one failed.”

The look Ino sent to Sasuke all but gave away who the kid was. 

“Little Miss Haruno Sakura. Or as she sees herself, the future Mrs Uchiha. My god you should have seen the look on Mikoto’s face when she overheard that! I thought she would kill Sakura right there in the village square!”4

“You left out the part where my father threatened her and told her the Uchiha clan would never accept a marriage between her and I.”

“What did he threaten her with?”

“A restraining order, arrest for harassment, and a few other things I can’t remember. It was really funny to see him get so agitated.”

The group of kids laughed and headed down the road to the academy. Shino, Hinata and her cousin Neji, Kiba and several others joined the group along the way. Kyo took to riding on Naruto’s head like Akamaru was doing with Kiba. This brought attention to the fox.

“Is that the kitsune you got for your birthday Naruto-kun? I’m sorry I had to miss the party.”

“It’s fine Hinata, I’m just glad you’re feeling better today. Yeah, his name’s Kyo. He’s curious about the academy so decided he wanted to tag along today. Uh oh, better hide Duck Butt here comes your stalker.”

Sakura waved at the group, but her hand and her smile fell when she saw Sasuke disappear. When the group caught up with her she glared at Naruto.

“I didn’t know they let freaks into the academy, must be because you're the Hokage’s son.”

“Back off Sakura! You have room to talk like that? The only reason you even got into this class is because..”

“Don’t bother Ino, she’s not worth it. We all know that just because she made it into the class doesn’t mean she’ll last. Remember what Kakashi-sensei told us. If she can’t keep up with the rest of us, she’ll be sent back to the regular class. Come on, Iruka-sensei is waiting for us. Shika stop glaring, it makes you look like your dad.”

Sasuke popped up in front of Sakura, his sharingan blazing red.

“If you ever talk to him like that again, I will make your life a living hell. Literally.”

He left her shaking on the ground and followed the group inside, a smug smirk on his face when Shikamaru bumped fists with him behind Naruto’s back. No one would bully their friend with him around, especially not that crazy stalker.

In the classroom, Iruka was in a tizzy. He had already had his seating chart finished before today but with the new addition of Sakura, he had to rethink the entire thing. He knew about the altercation in town, so there was no way he was putting Sakura anywhere near Sasuke. He also knew she and Ino were at odds and constantly fighting.

“Hey ‘ruka-sensei we came early since Kashi-ni said you asked us to.”

“Thank goodness! I’m glad you all came together, oh hello Neji. I have to redo the seating chart but I am having an issue of where to place Sakura.”

“I would put her to the far side of the room, away from the door and the aisle between the seats and tables. Each table can sit 3 students. Starting with the table closest to the door, I would put Ino, Hinata and Choji there. Shino, Sasuke and Kiba behind them, then Neji, me and Naruto in the back. I honestly don’t see Sakura lasting very long in this class. She has good chakra control, but she can barely perform jutsu, her kunai and shuriken use is poor at best, and she really has no other redeeming qualities as a shinobi. Yeah her study skills and academics are as high as ours, but she just won’t cut it as a shinobi.”

“That’s a bit harsh Shikamaru, it’s not nice to put down a comrade no matter how much you may not like the person.”

“He isn’t putting her down sensei, he’s being honest. We were all there when she took the retest, and my brother was the one to administer the technical portion. She barely passed, with the lowest score out of the entire class. I am warning you now sensei, if she says a cross word to Naruto I will lock her in a permanent genjutsu.”

Before Iruka could reply, Sakura walked in. Every set of eyes in the room aside from the teacher’s, were glaring daggers at the pink haired girl. They all looked away from her and back to Iruka.

“Uh okay well welcome to homeroom Sakura-san. I have you seated at desk three near the window, it’s the desk in the back corner. Your group will be arriving shortly, so please take your seat. The rest of you know your assigned seats, so please take them and get out your notebooks. Class will begin once everyone is seated.”

They all took their seats, Neji deciding to sit at the outside seat to keep as much distance between his friend and the annoying girl. Naruto sat in the middle, with Shikamaru to the other side. There was no one anyone would get to him now. The rest of the class filed in and Iruka directed them to their seats.

“Alright, for those of you that weren’t present at the opening ceremony for the advanced class, my name is Umino Iruka and I will be your homeroom teacher going forward. Every morning you will come into the room and take your seat. There will always be something written on the board for you to copy in your notebook. What you see on the board will be the lesson that we’ll be going over that day. Today, we’ll be doing skills assessments, class introductions, and then you will meet with your jonin captains and you will learn what team you will be joining. 

All genin teams were chosen after the exam scores were collected, and the captains were chosen to best suit each team’s requirements. By the end of the day you will know what team you’re on, and who your captain will be. Now before anyone starts complaining, the teams won’t be permanent. If for whatever reason, a person does not fit well with a team, they can be reassigned to another team. Captains also have the authority to remove anyone from their team they feel will only hinder the team as a whole.

Now that we have all that covered, do we have any questions? Yes Sakura-san?”

“Sensei, if all the teams were already chosen at the end of the exams, then what about me?”

“We’ll discuss that during the first break, Sakura-san.”

Not happy with the response she got, but knowing she wouldn’t get a direct answer, she accepted it and stayed quiet. Iruka continued on with his lesson plan.

“Alright, the next portion of the lesson for today will be introductions. Everyone please be respectful of your classmates and remain quiet until it’s your turn to speak. We’ll start with the front row closest to the door and work front to back, please stand up and give us your name and some information about yourself.”

Ino stood first and waved at the class. Being the center of attention was her element.  
“My name is Yamanaka Ino and it’s nice to meet all of you! I’m pretty sure you’ve probably seen me at the flower shop my mom runs. I like training with my friends, and in my spare time, I like to go to work with my dad.”

Ino sat down with a smirk as everyone shuddered, it was no surprise who her father was.

Hinata stood up next and gave a nervous smile.

“My name is Hyuuga Hinata, it’s nice to meet you. I like to read in my spare time, and I enjoy training with my sister and cousin.”

Naruto was impressed the shy girl spoke that much, and he gave her a very enthusiastic thumbs up accompanied by his trademark smile. It made her return the smile and she relaxed instantly before sitting down.

Choji was up next and the group held back a snarl when some kids on the other side of the room laughed.

“Hi I’m Akimichi Choji! I like to help my mom in the restaurant, training with my dad and hanging out with my friends. My clan has a special jutsu that requires a lot of energy as well as chakra use, so I eat a lot to maintain it. I always have snacks for that reason, but I’m happy to share!”

Choji ignored the laughter from the other students. He was used to kids and adults making fun of his weight, so it didn’t bother him anymore. He shrugged it off and smiled when Shino stood up.

“Aburame Shino. My likes are collecting bugs with my dad and hanging out with my friends. My dislikes are people who mistreat my friends.”

If anyone could see his eyes, they would see them directed at the other side of the room at Sakura. Shino retook his seat as Sasuke stood up. Before the girls in the class could cause a ruckus, he shot them all a glare.

“I’m Uchiha Sasuke. My only likes are my friends, my dislikes are sweets, people that are annoying, and people that mistreat my friends.”

He sat down without even bothering to look at Sakura. He hoped she dropped out soon.

Kiba stood up and removed Akamaru from his head.

“I’m Inuzuka Kiba, and this here is Akamaru. He’s my ninken and I’ve been training with him since he was a baby. I like being outdoors with my friends, training and spicy foods. I dislike bossy people, being cooped up too long, and homework.”

His friends and teacher all laughed at that as Kiba returned to his seat. Neji stood up and kept his usual scowl up to deter people from looking their way.

“I am Hyuuga Neji. I like music, reading and training with my friends and family. My dislikes are anyone who thinks this is all a game and only joined this class to stalk people. If you aren’t here to become a shinobi then you shouldn’t be here at all.”

He shot a quick glare using his byakugan at Sakura before taking his seat. Shikamaru sighed and slowly stood up.

“I’m Nara Shikamaru, I like shogi, sleeping and cloud watching. I dislike having to use too much energy, obnoxious people, and bullies.”

He fell back into his seat and Naruto poked his ribs for being rude. The blonde practically bounced to his feet.

“My name is kinda long so just call me Naruto, ya know! I like cooking, ramen, playing shogi and training with Shika and my dad. I dislike mean people, veggies and bitter things. Oh and I have a summons too. His name is Kyo, that’s him on my head. Say hi Kyo!”

The fox lifted his head and glanced around the room. When his eyes found Sakura he gave a low growl before going back to sleep. Naruto gave the orange fur a good scratch before sitting back down.

Introductions continued until they finally reached Sakura. She stood up and looked at her classmates.

“My name is Haruno Sakura and I want to be the greatest kunoichi ever. I like the color red, sweets, and the summer time. I dislike cold weather, sour things, and bugs.”

Before she could say anymore, the bell sounded announcing it was time for the first break, so Iruka took over.

“That’s the first bell everyone, that means you get a fifteen minute break. Be back in time or you lose the second break later!”

The class stood up and stretched a bit before heading out the door. No one saw Ino place one of her hair pins on her seat, nor did they see the beetle Shino allowed to crawl onto his. The group of friends gathered outside by the swing while they waited.

“So you asked about what team you would be on, is that right Sakura?”

“Yes sir, if the teams were already chosen, then where does that leave me?”

“Sakura-san, I’m going to be completely honest with you. The only reason you were allowed to join this class is because your grandmother sits on the civilian counsel and threatened the Hokage’s assistant that she would badger him until he allowed you to retake the exam. Your scores were among the lowest in the class, and because of your attitude and inability to get along with most of this class, none of the captains want you on their teams. 

At this point the only thing you can hope for is to be chosen for an apprenticeship if you manage to graduate. The whole purpose of this class and the genin training is teamwork, and quite frankly, I don’t see how you’re going to pass this class. I only agreed to take you into my class as a favor to my mother who is friends with yours. 

If your goal is truly to become a shinobi, then I would advise you to seek out someone for an apprenticeship. You’re welcome to stay and try to make this work, I won’t treat you any differently than I do the other students. In two months time there will be another exam to see how you’re progressing with your training here, if you don’t pass at least one section of that exam, you will be sent back to the regular class, and have to wait a year before trying to get back in this class. The decision is up to you. For today, I think it’s best if you go home and think about what it is you want to do. The rest of the class period will be with team building.”

And with that, Iruka left the classroom to join his other students outside. Since the rest of class would be dealing with skill assessment, it was just easier to move it outside.

Naruto and the others all looked at each other after what they heard. Naruto kind of felt bad for Sakura, because if she really did want to be a ninja it would be almost impossible if she doesn’t graduate from the academy. He could also understand what Iruka said too. If she can’t work with her classmates, then she wouldn’t work well on a mission and probably end up getting her teammates killed.

After a few minutes, Iruka came outside to join them, and Sakura ran from the building covering her face. Maybe this experience would teach her a lesson in treating people better.

“Okay class, gather around. As I said before, today you will be meeting your team captains and your temporary teammates. Once I call your names, please move to stand with your teammates. First we have team one. Asuma if you can raise your hand please. Asuma is team captain for team one. Ino, Choji, Neji. Come stand with Asuma. Kurenai hold up your hand please, thank you. Okay team two this will be your captain, when I call your name come stand by her. Hinata, Sasuke, Shino. Kakashi, you're late as usual. Hold up your hand so the kids can find you. Shikamaru, Kiba, and Naruto you’ll be with Kakashi.”

Iruka continued calling names and having teams gather up until everyone was with their respective teams.

“Now then we’ll move on to the skills assessment portion. At this early stage in the game, we don’t expect any of you to be perfect, but we do expect you to be able to perform the basics. Teams will pair up with one another and we will have mock competitions to see where everyone stands in their skills. We’ll go from there. The first three teams will compete against each other, the other four will do the same. Team captains I would like a copy of any notes you take on your observations so that I can get an understanding of what the students need to focus on.”

“Well it seems like we’re playing with a loaded deck, eh Kakashi?”

“I agree Kurenai, you have two visual jutsu users on one team. How is that fair?”

“Oh please Kashi! You practically helped raise those three! We all know you helped train them too.”

“Right, Asuma. Like you didn’t teach Naruto how to use chakra blades and channel his wind jutsu into them? I also helped train your kids as well so they should all be pretty equal, so long as they kept up their training…”

“Okay children, are we done playing now? Some of us would like to be done already. It’s not even lunch time and I’m already tired.”

“Alright alright don’t get your boxers in a twist. We’ll start with tree climbing. Get as close as you can to the top of the tree without using your hands. Naruto and Kiba, Akamaru and Kyo will stay down here so they can’t help. Begin!”


	8. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First day of school comes to an end. Naruto takes a nap, and why is Itachi-ni in Minato's office on his off day?

Chapter 7

Konoha Village Shinobi Academy

“Kiba, remember to keep a steady flow of chakra going to your feet. That’s right. Hinata, hold your shoulders back when you feel yourself losing balance, yeah like that keep it up. Excellent Shikamaru but keep maintaining that flow until you’re ready to release. Naruto, stop playing around and Sasuke put that kunai back in your pouch.

Alright you heathens quit showing off and get down here. I see you have been keeping up with the training we gave you. Kakashi, what’s next?”

“Let’s see who can walk on water now. Last time any of you tried this you all ended up in the Hyuuga’s koi pond save for Hinata. Hinata, since you’ve already demonstrated this and you’re just getting over an illness you can sit this one out. 

The rest of you lot, get going. If you want lunch you better cross the river, or Akamaru and my ninken pack will eat the food.”

Choji, Naruto and Kiba bolted to the river while everyone else just laughed and walked behind the idiots.It took several hours for the kids to get the hang of it, but what impressed their instructors more was how they worked together and helped each other even though this was supposed to be a contest.

Naruto even went back across the river to carry Hinata across so she could join her classmates for a picnic lunch. The captains looked at each other, smiling with pride.

“Excellent work, all of you. You’ve all exceeded the expectations we set for you. After lunch, however, the real test begins. We’ll be playing a game of flag tag, where the 9 of you will try to get a set of bells from the 3 of us. The only rules will be this; no permanent damage. Anything else goes. If you manage to get even one bell, you all win. If none of you manage to get a single bell, you all fail and will have to relearn the basics.”

Once everyone finished with lunch, they all took a few moments to run through a quick warm up of stretching and moving to speed up digestion and get their muscles relaxed for proper movement. Then, they huddled up and looked at Shikamaru.

“Okay we all know their styles. Kakashi will be expecting Naruto, Kiba and Sasuke to outright attack, but he also knows we’ll have a strategy. So we’ll give him one. Asuma is as good with shogi as my dad, so he’ll play this like a match. He’ll be the one to attack first and he’ll target the ones he thinks are the weakest. Kurenai is a genjutsu master, so she’ll set traps for us and wait. She’ll be expecting us to send the visual jutsu users after her. 

Sasuke, Ino and Choji, you three take on Kakashi, you’ll need Sasuke to nullify his sharingan before you attack. Neji, Kiba, and Shino you three go after Asuma, Neji is the best match for his wind style. Keep an eye out for his fire jutsus though especially his burning ash. Hinata, Naruto and myself will take on Kurenai. Hinata can we count on your byakugan? Don’t tax yourself if you aren’t feeling strong enough.”

“I can use it in brief flashes, but I’m not ready for continuous use yet.”

“That’s perfect, we only need to detect Kurenai’s genjutsu. Naruto, we’ll need a flashy diversion. Did Lord Dingbat teach you anything like that yet?”

“Yep! He called it the fake rasengan! Not even Kashi can tell the difference until it hits.”

“Perfect. Can you do it while using shadow clones?”

“Yeah but my limit is only 3 before I run out of chakra.”

“We can make that work. Everyone ready? You all know the signal if you're in trouble?”

The group nodded and Shikamaru gave the signal. Everyone scattered to find cover and wait out their respective opponents. 

Kakashi stood with the other two captains, mask hiding his smirk. 

"What do you think, Kakashi? Who will they send first?"

"These kids won't attack us at once, they're too smart for that. The real question is who will be the distraction to scatter us. More than likely it will be either Naruto or Kiba. Right, Kakashi?"

“I think you both should stop talking about what they might do and focus more on what they are doing. Incoming paper bomb, scatter!”

Before the barrage of paper bombs attached to kunai could hit the ground, they exploded. The three captains broke off in different directions, and realized their mistake too late.

Kakashi found himself well and truly screwed as soon as his feet touched the ground. Hanging from a tree branch right in front of him, both sharingan open and active, was Sasuke. The boy smirked and poked Kakashi’s nose.  
“You ready Ino, Choji?”

Ino was knelt on the grounds, her hands swiftly forming the signs for her signature jutsu.

“Mind transfer jutsu!”

“I got him! Partial expansion jutsu, hands!”

Sasuke activated his genjutsu to stop Kakashi from using a substitution, or using his own sharingan. Choji grabbed hold of Kakashi’s torso to hold him in place, while Ino took control of his body and took the bells from his belt.

Ino released first, then Choji and finally Sasuke.

“Alright Choji signal the others, mission complete. Let’s head to the rendezvous point. Hey sensei you okay?”

“Yeah just need a minute. You’d think I would be immune to the Uchiha genjutsus by now. Just don’t tell anyone what you saw, yeah?”

“Relax sensei, I’m not as sadistic as my brother and cousins. Oh and sensei, you should just go for it. They might surprise you.”

Sasuke and his teammates took off to the trees, then up to the roof of the school to wait for the others.

Asuma was smart enough to keep his guard up. There was no way of knowing who was coming after him, he also wouldn’t be able to know what they were capable of. Trying to plan an ambush right now would be pointless. He felt like a prey animal that had been caught in a trap, he felt circled. Asuma took up his chakra blades and readied himself for the pounce.

“Nice choice senpai, too bad it won’t help you. You’re already caught in my web.” 

Before Asuma could react, his arms and legs were swarmed with Shino’s chakra eating beetles. Knowing he would be okay so long as he didn’t use ninjutsu, he braced himself for a frontal attack. Two steps back and he knew it was over. 

“Eight trigrams 64 palms. One more step, sensei, and you won’t be walking away.”

Kiba dropped down from a tree and gave a fanged smirk. 

“Now be still sensei, Akamaru is trained on your major vital spots and we don’t want you becoming dog chow. Shino, you get the bells?”  
“I’ve got them. I need to call them back or sensei will need medical attention.”

“Go ahead Shino, he’s still within my range. I’m also certain that Akamaru still has him in his sights.”

“Nice strategy, did Shikamaru come up with that?”

“Nope. That came from the three of us, it was Shika’s idea to team us up though. Gotta say, I didn’t think we would work so well. Okay guys let’s meet up with the others.”

The beetles flew back to Shino, and the makeshift team headed up the side of the school to reach the roof.

“Mission complete, good job guys. Hey! You guys finished first!”

Kurenai was starting to get worried. None of the genjutsu traps had been activated, which meant either they hadn’t discovered where she was hiding, or they were already here…

“Rasengan!” 

“What!”

Above her, Naruto was seemingly flying right at her. In his left hand was a smaller version of the Hokage’s jutsu. She managed to dodge it but not fast enough to get clear. Debri from the blast, that was weaker than Minato’s, knocked her down. When the dust cleared, Kurenai realized too late where she had landed. She tried to stand up but found herself paralyzed. 

“You’re stronger than me, but I ask that you not struggle too much sensei. I’m still not in full control of my shadows yet.”

“Nice Shika! And I’m sorry about that sensei, I wasn’t aiming at you. It wasn’t a real rasengan though so even if it hit you, the worst you would have gotten was a chakra burn on your skin. Your turn Hinata-chan!”

“Right! Byakugan! There’s three traps in the direction of the school. It’s best to go around them.”

“Naru, can you get the bells now? I can’t hold her much longer.”

Naruto reached into Kurenai’s tool pouch and grabbed the bells.

“Got em, let’s go! Thanks sensei!”

Shikamaru released his jutsu and the three students were off. Kurenai sat up grinning. This group of genin would be something special with more training and experience. 

“My my Kurenai, you let ‘em win too easily. You could have at least tried to put up a fight.”

“Like you’re one to talk Kakashi, that mini Uchiha had you from the get go.”

“We all let them win. That was part of the plan wasn’t it. Did you find their location?”

“Roof of the school.”

“I sense them up in the trees.”

“No they’re back in the classroom.”

The three captains looked at each other for a moment, then turned to stand back to back in formation.

“Did you seriously think we would be dumb enough to take on three jonin ranked shinobi with a plan that weak? Come on guys, we were trained better than that. Naruto!”

“I’m on it! Ino, Sasuke go!”

Naruto set off several smoke bombs, and the air filled with a thick purple smoke. Sasuke shot off a fireball jutsu while Ino threw handfuls of Kunai into the flames. From the back left, Choji formed signs for his human boulder jutsu.

“Human boulder jutsu! Kiba go!”

“Man over beast transformation jutsu! Hinata, Neji your up!”

“Eight trigrams 64 palms, double defense barrier!”

When the captains tried to escape over the smoke, they were knocked back down by the Hyuuga’s barrier of chakra. They all laughed and Kakashi shot off the red flare to signal the mission was over. The kids had won.

“Congratulations rookies, you actually beat us this time. How did you know the bells weren’t the real targets?”

“That one was easy. We didn’t until after Kakashi-sensei was so easily taken down. Once we realized that, we substituted with clones and regrouped.”

“After figuring out you were only assessing our abilities in a battle situation, it wasn’t hard to figure out why.”

“Yep! You guys were planning to back track and ambush us, ya know! We just needed to hide ourselves until you made your move.”

“Okay so if you guys were here this whole time, then who are the others?”

“That would be Naruto’s shadow clones. That’s why he didn’t attack with anything but the smoke bombs. He used up most of his chakra on the clones. The bombs were meant to be a bluff to distract you from his lack of chakra.”

“So which one of you came up with the plan?”

Shikamaru smirked when the captains looked at him.

“Not this time. I had come up with the first plan. Shino, Naru and Hinata are the masterminds this round.”

“Well done you three, that was a solid plan. Alright everyone let’s head back to the academy. We have reports to give and you brats need to let Iruka know we didn’t kill you out here.”

Shikamaru caught Naruto before he could fall. Shaking his head, he looked at Kakashi.

“I used up a lot of chakra myself, so can you carry him?”

Kakashi smiled behind his mask and knelt down. Shikamaru and Sasuke positioned Naruto on Kakashi’s back.

“I got him. You lot head back to the school. I’ll take this one to the office so he can sleep it off. Just let Iruka know okay?”

With a nod, the rest of the group turned and headed back to the academy. Kakashi nodded to Asuma and Kurenai to follow the kids and make sure they made it back to the school, then he flashed out and took off to the tower.

“ Kashi-ni?”

“Yeah kiddo, I got ya. Your friends all headed back to the academy and I’m taking you to the office so you can sleep off that chakra depletion. I’m so proud of you Naruto, now get some sleep.”

Naruto smiled sleepily and nodded against Kakashi’s shoulder before going back to sleep. They traveled in silence until they reached the tower. Kotetsu and Izumo were checking in, and saw the two coming towards the doors, so they held them open. Kakashi gave a quick nod in thanks and continued on until he reached the office.

“Sensei, special delivery can you have Bear or Cat answer the door?”

A laugh sounded from behind the door as it opened. Itachi stood there with his arms crossed over his chest.

“What’s so special about you Kakashi?”

“Why my good looks and charm of course. Not me you idiot, I have a mini hokage on my back. Let me in, he’s heavier than he looks.”

MInato moved so fast that not even the ANBU could keep up.

“What happened? Is he hurt? Why didn’t you take him straight to Tsunade?!”

“Calm down sensei, he’s just asleep. He used up way too much chakra during the assessment today. Kid made us all proud too. Let me lay him down and I’ll tell you all about it.”


	9. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minato talks to himself, Naruto wakes up to an awkward confession, Naruto is wise beyond his years, and friends conspire at Ichiraku's!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to Katt113 for their amazing kindness and brightening up a dreary night! Thank you so much for your kind words dearest, they meant a lot to me. Also please forgive any errors as I am posting this at 4 am!

Chapter 8

Konoha Village Hokage Tower

MInato sat hunched over at his desk, several stacks of papers set precariously around him. He cursed the chunin and jonin for not knowing how to properly file their mission reports. Honestly by now they should be able to do this in their sleep. Especially Kakashi, but he suspects the silver haired demon was doing this on purpose. He should make a note to tease the young man about that crush some more.

He sighed for the millionth time that day and attempted to work the kinks from his neck and shoulders. He was starting to feel his numerous missions, being inactive as Hokage was starting to get to him. He’d give just about anything to go on a mission again, but he has his duties as both a father and a leader, kept him tethered to his desk.

Minato paused a moment, then smiled and attempted to sit upright once more. His back cracked and popped causing the blond to moan. 

“It’s alright Lord Hokage, no need to stand on my account. My mother sends you lunch, and instructions to make certain you eat it. When she adopted you, I am unaware but it is quite adorable.”

“Itachi, how many times must I tell you to stop calling me that? We’re colleagues for crying out loud, if I called you by your title all day it would get annoying.”

“If you called me by my title I would hand you over to Ibiki for questioning, as I’m sure you would do if I ever addressed you by your name.Shall I refer to you as Lord Dingbat?”

“Have you ever wondered what the rasengan would feel like at point blank range?”

“Noted. Anyway, as I said, eat your lunch. I have something to take care of before I need to pick up Sasuke from the academy.’

“Oh? It was my understanding today was your off day. Everything alright with your health, Itachi?”  
“I am fine, Lady Tsunade does scans on my blood every month to ensure the illness has not returned. Sasuke still does not know of it and I would like to keep it that way.”

“Of course. Do thank your mother for me when you see her again. This bento is delicious.”

The two men continued their conversation and friendly banter until there was a banging thud against the door.

Itachi grabbed a kunai from his pouch and approached the door with caution, he may be off duty but he still wouldn’t let his Hokage be attacked if he can help it.

“Sensei, special delivery can you have Bear or Cat answer the door?”

A laugh sounded from behind the door as it opened. Itachi stood there with his arms crossed over his chest.

“What’s so special about you Kakashi?”

“Why my good looks and charm of course. Not me you idiot, I have a mini hokage on my back. Let me in, he’s heavier than he looks.”

MInato moved so fast that not even the ANBU couldn’t keep up.

“What happened? Is he hurt? Why didn’t you take him straight to Tsunade?!”

“Calm down sensei, he’s just asleep. He used up way too much chakra during the assessment today. Kid made us all proud too. Let me lay him down and I’ll tell you all about it.”

“I’ll take my leave now, Lord Fourth. I hope the little fox is alright.”

Itachi flashed out of the office, heading off to see Tsunade. Minato cleared some files off the couch so Kakashi could lay Naruto down, then he covered the child with a blanket that was kept on the back of the couch. Naruto didn’t stir at all just rolled to his side and mumbled in his sleep.

“Tell me what happened Kakashi. He’s never been this drained of chakra before.”

“We did the team assessments today. Me, Asuma and Kurenai were strapped with Naruto and all his little friends, and already knew their individual strengths and weaknesses. Naruto and Shikamaru took on Kurenai with that Hinata kid from the Hyuuga clan. His role was to distract Kurenai and keep her away from the genjutsu traps. Naruto being Naruto, he used the fake rasengan on top of numerous shadow clones. This was the result.

You should be proud of him sensei, he not only showed remarkable skill, he stayed level headed and treated the situation as if it were a real battle. He eve demonstrated strategic ability and leadership. None of his teammates were injured, but Asuma, Kurenai, and myself all came out with minor scrapes and bruises. All in all I’d say I would put those kids on a full fledged team right now, but they need more experience too. They know what to do but their plan execution and communication skills need work.”

“Sounds like you three had fun today. How did things go with the Haruno girl? Her parents keep apologizing every time they see me.”

“I’m guessing Iruka told her about no one wanting her on their teams. The girl is a liability to any squad, sensei. She has very little talent with genjutsu, barely any talent with ninjutsu, her taijutsu is at least average at best. The only trait she has going for her is her intelligence. Her scores for the academic portion of the test were right up there with Shika and Sasuke. 

The fact that she can’t get along with literally anyone in the advanced class, tells me she can’t work well as a team. The civilian counsel needs to keep out of shinobi business from now on. The only reason that girl even wanted to join the academy was to flirt with the Uchiha boy. When we got there, Sakura was running from the building crying and Iruka had just left the building himself. Kinda makes me wonder what he said to the girl.”

“How are things between you two? Still just a casual thing or perhaps more?”

“Nah, Iruka is still hung up on Itachi. Seriously he just tell the kid. I doubt you want to hear about my exploits, sensei, but to be honest other than some necking and heavy petting we haven’t really done anything since the party.”

“I didn’t want to say anything because I thought perhaps you were wanting a relationship with him, but I really didn’t see you two working out. You’re way too different to have any real chemistry.”

“It’s fine sensei, I know we wouldn’t have. He’s a great friend but he nags me too much for there ever to be more between us.”

“Is there someone you’re interested in Kakashi? Or should I mind my own business?”

“Hah! That would be a first sensei. There is someone I like, but it’s not meant to be so I try to ignore it. I’m sure I’ll find someone and settle down eventually.”

The look on Kakashi’s face and the tone in his voice told MInato to let it go, and he would. For now.

“Why do you still call me sensei? Not that I mind it, I’m just curious. I haven’t been your teacher for a long time now.”  
“Habit mostly, I think. That and it reminds me.. Nevermind. I gave my report so I’ll head home now. I have to leave for a mission tomorrow morning so I’d like to rest before then. Can you get Naruto home or do I need to take him?”

Minato noticed the tension in Kakashi’s body and the hurt hiding in his voice. Had he offended Kakashi with his question?

“I can take him, Kakashi. We’ll stop for ramen on the way home, so don’t cook for us tonight.”

“Alright sensei, I’ll see you when I collect my mission details.”

With that, Kakashi was gone. He had to get out of there before he embarrassed himself. There was no way he could ever tell his former sensei of his real feelings. The man saw him as an adopted son, a brother to Naruto. And Sage, how would that affect the chibi? The poor kid would be scarred for life, not to mention he’d hate Kakashi for ruining their family.

No, he would keep his feelings to himself. Even if it meant he was miserable until he died. 

While Minato finished eating his lunch, Jiraiya popped in to pay a visit and give his report.

“What’s with that look kiddo? Eat a bad egg or something?”

“I believe I have offended Kakashi in some way. He just lied to me about a mission and left out of here like he was being chased by hellhounds.”

“Has he gotten over his crush on you yet?”

“What?! He hasn’t had a crush on me! Are you drunk again Sensei?”

“Hah! Just as oblivious as Naruto some days. That boy has been hung up on you since he first laid eyes on you. I’m serious Minato! There’s actually a second bet going around the departments to see if he ever gets the balls to say or do something about it. He’s not a cute little genin anymore Minato, he’s only six years younger than you.”

“Honestly I don’t think I’ve ever seen him as a genin, or a kid. I fought with his father in the war, and then beside him in the same war. He’s my comrade and former student.”

“You treat him like he’s one of your kids, hell he practically is.”

“Not quite. I became his legal guardian because he needed someone to sign medical papers to be admitted into the hospital. And like you said, he’s only six years younger than me. It would be weird and quite frankly inappropriate for me to play dad.”

“Your blushing kid. Hell the only problem I see with you having a relationship with the kid is he’s your subordinate. I know you don’t see him that way, but that’s how everyone else will see it. Naruto would be thrilled with it, in case you were worried about that.

Honestly Minato, I say give it a shot. Just be sure to keep it out of the public eye until you’re both sure and ready for any fallout from it. Well, I’m heading back out tomorrow, so I’ll swing by to see the brat later. Pay the toads a visit sometime kiddo. Ma misses ya.”

Minato barely acknowledged the man’s departure. He was too shocked over what Jiraiya had said. A relationship with Kakashi? Did he even think of the younger man that way? Sure Minato could admit there was a physical attraction, he’d have to be blind to not notice Kakashi’s good looks. Especially without his mask, that had been a shock to his system.

Outside of Kushina, Minato had never really dated anyone. Before Kushina, he had been too young or too focused on his goals to care that much about it. After the night he’d saved her, they had been together until she died. 

As for chemistry... Well they worked well together both at home and in the office, they were polar opposites but still had a lot of things in common, he enjoyed the man’s company more often than not, and Kakashi got along swimmingly with Naruto. A relationship could actually work between them, couldn’t it? Minato didn’t really care what anyone in the village thought about him, but he didn’t want Naruto or Kakashi to be put in danger because of him. 

He doubted anyone in the shinobi counsel would say anything to them, nor would the clan heads. He and Kakashi were both extremely powerful shinobi, not to mention the multiple sacrifices the two had given to protect the village. He and Kakashi could both protect themselves and Naruto easily.

But would Naruto actually be okay with it? The boy idolized Kakashi as his big brother. He doubted Naruto would care that Minato chose to date another man given the boy's infatuation with Shikamaru, but would he be okay with that other man being Kakashi.

Minato was so deep in his thoughts, he didn’t realize he was talking out loud to himself, or that Naruto was awake.

“You like Kaka-sensei, dad?”

“Uhh.. When did you wake up Naruto?”

“A little while ago actually. I thought you were in a genjutsu until you started talking. So do you like him?”

“Ah, well… I suppose I do like him, but…”

“That’s awesome! Kaka-sensei is the coolest shinobi ever! Plus he’s really nice even if sometimes he pretends not to be. He makes sure no one in the village is mean to me or Shika. He even lets me play with Bull and Pakkun! He can also make ramen as good as Teuchi-jiji!”

“Well Naruto, if Kakashi and I decided to have a relationship, he wouldn’t be able to be your teacher anymore. Well at least not officially. There’s also the fact that we would have to keep it a secret or people in the village would be mean to you and Kakashi.”

“People in the village are already mean to Kaka-sensei. They call him names and say mean things about him when he isn’t around. Kiba said they say mean things about me too, but I don’t really care. My friends tell me what the villagers say isn’t true so I just ignore them. 

If you like Kaka-sensei and he likes you, then you should just be together! Like me and Shika! Someday I’ll marry Shika, and I’ll become Hokage. Then I can fix the world and make everyone be friends! I’m hungry, can we get ramen from Ichiraku’s?”

Stunned once more, Minato could do nothing but blink for a few minutes. Then, he laughed at his son’s antics and nodded his head.

“I doubt I’ll be able to get any more work done today. Let’s go home early, and yes we can stop for ramen. Naruto, do you think you would be okay staying over with Shika tonight? I want to talk to Kakashi about all this, and it’s not really a conversation we should be having in front of you.”

“I can sleep over with Shika!? Yay that’s so cool! I don’t mind but promise tomorrow you’ll come watch our lesson? Iruka-sensei said he’d teach us how to use senbon and I wanna use the one’s Gemma got me.”

“It’s a deal. Genma is actually off tomorrow so we can see if he wants to come too.”

Naruto whooped in excitement and bounced to the door. Minato envied the boy’s energy and stamina, oh to be that young again.

As promised, they stopped at Ichiraku’s for their usual bowl of ramen. Coincidentally, Genma was also there with Kotetsu and Izumo.

“Well if it isn’t Hokage-sama and chibi Hokae-sama! You’re both out early today, what’s the occasion?”

“Hey Gemma! I know it’s your off day tomorrow, so can you come watch our lesson at school? ‘Ruka-sensei said we’re gonna learn how to use senbon, and I wanna use the ones you gave me.”

“Hmm I don’t know chibi, I usually sleep in on my off day. Tell you what, I’ll come watch your lesson and even help with your senbon training. In return, you have to help me make pork buns for dinner. Sound fair?”

“Yes! Can I dad, please please please?”

“Haha yes yes, you can hang out with Genma after school tomorrow. That’s actually perfect timing, I have a meeting tomorrow with the other kage about the chunin exams.”

“No worries Minato-senpai. Shikaku actually asked me to watch Shika too for the same reason. I don’t mind since they’re great kids. Slip me a nice bonus at the end of the month and we’ll call it even.”

“You have a deal my friend. You're paying right Naruto?”

“You have more money than I do! Besides, I’m saving up for something.”

“Don’t worry about it Naruto, it’s on the house! Seems like your dad forgot his wallet again. Honestly Minato-san, you’d forget your head if it wasn’t attached to your body.”

Ayame smirked and started working on their orders. Naruto sat between Izumo and Genma, while Minato sat beside Kotetsu.

“Something on your mind, senpai, you seem distracted.”

“No nothing. I just forget sometimes how innocent a child’s mind can be. Naruto said he wanted to become Hokage so he could make everyone be friends and not fight. Surprisingly enough, I believe he could actually do it.”

“If anyone could unite the shinobi world, it would be Naruto that’s for sure. The kid has a natural charm that makes people want to follow him. Look at how the clan kids are all getting along when their own families were at each other’s throats before he came along.”

“It goes beyond that. It’s hard to explain without sounding biased since I’m his father, but he’s only five years old and he already has the kyuubi under better control than Kushina had. He’s not able to access the chakra yet, but I think that’s a fail safe for him. He can even pull off a subdued rasengan! Sasuke has been teaching him fire jutsu. He’s not that good at it but he can make smoke, which is more than even I could do at his age!”

“I’ve seen him training with Itachi from time to time and I have to say, if we don’t watch ourselves he’ll surpass us all in a handful of years. Have you considered letting him train with ANBU? The biggest weakness I see in him is his lack of stealth. With his bright yellow hair, loud fashion sense and enthusiastic personality, it’s not easy for him to hide or blend in. If anything, that could end up being his downfall on a lot of missions.”  
“Yes, I agree and I have already made arrangements with Itachi to work with him outside of class and work schedules. He needs the one on one training for this lesson, not the distractions of classmates. Another concern I have for him right now, is the team assignments. I understand why Shikaku put Naruto and Shikamaru together, but from a strategic view point, it’s not a wise idea to keep them teamed up like that. Even with stealth training, Naruto is more suited to combat like I was, whereas Shikamaru is better suited for infiltration and interrogation like his father. I can see merit in pairing them up on some missions where both sets of skills would be crucial, but for the long term, I just don’t see it working.”

“Well, we’re planning to do a trial run for the chunin exams next week. Why not let the current teams participate and see how they hold up. It would also be a perfect way to weed out the weaker students in the class. From what Iruka told us after the entrance exams, I doubt anyone outside the eight clan kids and Naruto will actually make it to graduation at this point. Unable to grasp the concept of teamwork, is what he said about them.”

“Judging by what Kakashi reported after the exams, I’m inclined to agree with you. The mock exams could also bring down their morale just as easily too. If we put too much pressure on them to do well, they may feel the need to push themselves too hard and wind up hurting themselves badly.”

“Right, but if we play it off as just for fun, they won’t take it seriously and they’ll end up getting complacent. It’s something to discuss with Iruka, Itachi, and the jonin captains for sure. Just have word sent to us whatever you decide.”

“Actually Kotetsu, I think it would be wise to have you present in that meeting. You’re to be the head proctor this year, and you’ve been working beside Shikaku to organize the whole thing. Your insight on this would be pertinent, plus it was your idea.”

Kotetsu blushed slightly and looked away. Minato hid his smirk with a fake cough.

“Order up boys! I have a to go order for Kakashi as well. Poor guy looked exhausted when he passed by earlier.”


	10. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cupid's arrow hits it's first mark, plot twist shows it's face, secrets revealed, and finally cuddles!!

Chapter 9

Konoha Village Nara Estate

“Oh! You’re both home early today. I thought Shikaku said there was a meeting today? Naruto you look filthy! Go upstairs and shower. I think you left some clothes here last time. When you’re done come on down to the kitchen and you can help me cook dinner.”

“Okay Yoshi-san!”

“Naruto had chakra exhaustion, and as a parent I was worried and wanted to get him home soon.”

“So in other words, you were distracted by something on your mind and didn’t want to stay in office any longer than you had to. Did you at least let Shi know?”

“Yes, he threw the stack of files he was carrying at me and Naruto laughed. If it weren’t for Naruto being there I’d still be hunched over that desk.”

“Check in on Kakashi for me. He didn’t look well when he arrived, looked almost like he was about to cry or pass out. I worry about that boy, the demons that haunt him just won’t let him sleep.”

“I’ll look after him tonight, Yoshino. Is it alright if Naruto stays the night with Shikamaru? Kakashi and I need to go over some ideas Kotetsu brought up for the mock chunin exams.”

“Of course! You know that boy is always welcome here. About time you two had this talk. And thank you, Minato-kun. You just won me a lot of money.”

Yoshino smirked and winked at the blushing blonde and wandered back into the kitchen. Did everyone in the village know about Kakashi’s crush? Minato left the main house and headed to the small cabin he shared with Kakashi, hoping the younger man was alright. He felt horrible for not realizing what Kakashi felt. It must have been so hard for him to live in the same house and be so close to someone he cared for and not be able to say anything.

He entered the cabin, being sure to make some noise to alert Kakashi that he was home. He didn’t hear anything, so he figured the jonin was in his room. After he put his robe and hat on the rack, he removed his vest and left it laying on the back of the couch. A hot shower sounded like heaven in that moment, to relax his muscles and destress from the day.  
Minato walked into the hall and listened next to Kakashi’s room, no sounds came through so he must be asleep. That was okay, they could talk later. He knew the man needed as much sleep as he could get. With a deep sigh, Minato walked into the bathroom and began removing his clothes. Before he could get his boxers down, he heard a scream from down the hall. 

Without a second thought, he flashed into Kakashi’s room and nearly cried at what he found. Kakashi was laying on the floor in the corner of his room, deep bloody scratches around his sharingan and more deeper gashes over his arms and legs. His chest and shoulders were covered in a cold sweat, a look of sheer terror in his eyes as he looked at his hand. He had been dreaming of his former teammates again. 

Minato slowly approached Kakashi, as if he were walking up on a cornered, injured wolf.

“Kashi, it’s Minato. You’re home now, you’re safe. It was just a nightmare, it’s alright now.”

“Sensei! No! No you.. You died! The kyuubi… Naruto! Where’s Naruto! I have to save him…”

“Oh Kashi no wonder you’re terrified. It’s okay, I’ve got you. I’m alive, Naruto is very safe.”

Minato easily gathered Kakashi into his arms and carried him over to the bed. He sat down and pulled Kakashi into his lap and let the younger man cling to his shoulders. Kakashi buried his face in the crook of Minato’s neck, his body racked with heavy sobs. Blood and tears dripped onto Minato’s skin, and he just held Kakashi tighter.

“It’s alright now, I’ve got you. I promise Naruto and myself are alright Kakashi.”

“But I s-saw it sensei! I stood outside a barrier and watched you and Kushina-san die! Lord Third wouldn’t let me in to save you… And they took Naruto away from me! I couldn’t protect him, I failed sensei…”

“Shh calm down Kakashi. Slow your breathing, here match my breathing. Like this, nice and slow. In and out. That’s it Kashi, in and out.”

Minato placed Kakashi’s bloody hand on his chest over his heart, letting him feel the heartbeat and his chest moving with each breath. Slowly, Kakashi’s breathing evened out and the hysterics stopped.

“That’s better, are you more awake now?”

“I think so, I’m sorry sensei. I’m still not sure what happened. I knew it was a dream but.. I couldn’t wake up.”

“Night terrors. I used to have them a lot during the war. Think you’ll be okay to let me go long enough to get you cleaned up? Need to treat these wounds too.”  
“Can we talk about what I saw? Sensei I don’t think it was a dream. I don’t know why, but I feel like I was watching it all while it happened.”

“Can I at least put some pants on? Naruto is with Yoshino but it would be quite embarrassing for him to come in and see me holding you in my underwear. Not that I mind it, but he would probably tell the entire village by tomorrow morning.”

Kakashi blinked a few times and looked down, and sure enough, his former sensei was practically naked. And holding him, also mostly naked since it seems he lost his sleep pants at some point. He also realized his mask was gone, and his eye exposed. The blush started at the tip of his pale ears and spread to his waist.

Minato smirked, in a moment of pure mischief and curiosity, he leaned down and pressed his lips to Kakashi’s. The shock of electricity that passed between them, caused a gasp from both men.

“Sen…”

Kakashi kissed him again to keep him quiet.

“First, let's get you cleaned up and your wounds treated. I’ll let you take care of cleaning yourself while I go put some pants on. Then I’ll heal the shallow wounds and dress the rest. We can talk after that.”

Kakashi nodded and stood up, still flushed and now breathing slightly heavier again. Seemingly in a daze, he slowly made his way to the bathroom connected to his room. He swayed just a bit and caught himself on the door frame.

“I’m okay!”

“If that’s what happens when I kiss you, then maybe we shouldn’t…”

“I said I’m okay! I’ve been having those ‘dreams’ for several days now.”

Minato nodded in understanding and stood up.

“We’ll discuss these dreams you’ve been having back in the office. I have a feeling Shikaku will want to hear them as well. I’ll let him tell you what he told me.”

Minato went ahead and took a quick shower himself. He had to wash the blood and sweat that was slowly drying on his skin or people would ask too many questions. After getting dressed in his shinobi gear, he went back to Kakashi’s room.

“You ready Kakashi?”  
“Yeah, I’m decent enough.”

Minato entered the room and went to work healing the smaller scratches.

“Some of these I can tell are self inflicted, probably from the nightmare, but these deeper ones look like kunai or sword marks..”

“That’s why I said I don’t think these are dreams. What else did you want to talk about?”

“I kissed you twice and you still haven’t figured that out yet? And people call me oblivious.”

“That’s because most of the time you are. I thought you were just trying to distract me.”

“Not quite, though it did work so I won’t deny it. I kissed you because I wanted to, and I was curious how soft your lips were. I always have been, to be honest. Until the other morning when you forgot your mask, I wondered what was hiding under it.”

“Please don’t tease me sensei. It’s one thing to reject me, it’s another to make fun.”

“Now that hurts, Kakashi. What gave you the idea I was that kind of person? Look at me Kakashi. Right now I’m not the Hokage, and I haven’t been your teacher for years. I’m just a man. I admit that I hadn’t realized your feelings, until we were in my office for your report. The way you were acting had me worried that you hated me at first. 

After I thought about it for a moment, I realized it was the opposite. I thought back to how you reacted around me over the years, and I was mad at myself for always teasing you for your hero worship. I gave a lot of thought to my own feelings once I figured out yours. Would you like to know what I discovered?”

“Sen.. Minato, we can’t! No matter what I want we have to think about Naruto and your position. There’s no way the counsel would accept a Hokage that’s screwing around with his subordinate! And Naruto would catch all kinds of hell for it, people already think he’s been getting special treatment from all of us.”

“I’ll tell you what I discovered then. I like you too, Kakashi. I thought about the very things you just mentioned as well. Apparently I was voicing my thoughts aloud because Naruto heard them. He was ecstatic about it. He sees you as his teacher, and in his words ‘the coolest shinobi ever’, which I should be jealous of but I actually agree with him. The civilian counsel has no say in any aspect of my life, so I don’t care about their opinion. The villagers are either too afraid of me or respect me too much to go against me. 

As for the clan counsel and the shinobi counsel, I already know none of them would openly oppose me. As for Naruto, do you doubt our abilities to protect him when he needs it? You told me yourself how proud of him you were for what he’s accomplished. He would also be protected by the clans, hell they’ve all but adopted him. He has more guards than I do when he’s not here on the estate. If you don’t want a relationship between us, then just say so. Don’t spout excuses why we shouldn’t.”

Kakashi grabbed hold of Minato’s vest and pulled him down to eye level. A flash of lightning went off in his normal dark eye before he took Minato’s lips in a vicious kiss, full of teeth and tongue. Minato moaned and sent one hand to Kakashi’s hair to pull him closer and hold him in place. At the tug on his sensitive scalp, Kakashi cried out into the kiss.

“If we want to catch Shikaku in the office before he leaves, we need to go now.”

“Since when are you the voice of reason, Kashi?”

They both sat there panting for breath and trying to calm their raging hormones. It would not be wise for them to walk through the main house sporting tents in their pants.

“Come on, the sooner we get this over with the sooner we can get back. Besides, I think Shikaku is already home. I know Shikamaru is, Naruto’s excitement levels just skyrocketed.”

The two just laughed and at the mention of the boys, their issues resolved. Together they walked over to the main house, Kakashi kept his shirt off because he knew he would need to show Shikaku the wounds. Naruto was the first to see them and he shouted to get their attention.

“About time you two get here! Wait.. Kashi-sensei those bandages?”

“Relax kiddo, you and your classmates didn’t cause these. Well maybe the little one right here but I think that’s more my fault for not paying attention. Shouldn’t you be helping Yoshino with dinner? Your dad and I need to talk with Shikaku-senpai for a little bit before it’s time to eat.”

“Okay Kashi! He’s in his study.”

Minato and Kakashi gave Naruto’s fluffy hair a ruffle then headed off towards the study. A quick knock and Kakashi opened the door.

“Shikaku-senpai can you spare a few minutes?”

“If that airheaded hokage is behind you, drag his deserting ass in here so I can kill him myself. Leaving me to deal with the civilian counsel on my own is grounds for treason.”

“Really? Sensei, how could you do that? I have half a mind to let him kill you.”

“Now now, I had a damn good reason to leave. You both know I wouldn’t just abandon my post for no reason. And after what I found I got home, I’m glad I did. Are you wards in place, Shi? What we need to discuss should not be overheard by anyone. It pertains to our conversation 5 years ago.”

Shikaku’s eyes went wide and he flared his chakra. The door slammed shut, and seals all over the room glowed then vanished.

“The room is secured. Sit down both of you. Kakashi, I’m guessing this is about you considering you’re here without a shirt or mask. I’ll start with what Minato was talking about, then you can tell yours.

Five years ago, when we first learned Kushina was pregnant, I started having these ‘visions’. Calling them dreams wouldn’t be accurate, because they were real, as I’m sure you’ve realized. The first one was of a masked man who attacked the village the day Naruto was born. He took advantage of the seal being weak due to the labor, and he gained control of the kyuubi.”

“And he used the Kyuubi to attack the village. Kushina was dying because she had the kyuubi extracted, and when the beast attempted to kill Naruto, she stepped in it’s way and took one of his claws through her back. Sensei decided to take half the Kyuubi’s chakra into himself with the reaper death seal, and lock the other half in Naruto.”

“So you saw it too.”

“Not exactly. I saw more, much more. What I’m about to tell you both is going to be hard to stomach, and you’ll probably think I’m crazy.”

“Tell us what you saw, kid. After I told Minato what I saw, I stopped having the visions.”

“It all started with the same one you saw, but it didn’t stop there. The second one I saw was Naruto in an orphanage being abused and starved. The things they did to him… I woke up sick to my stomach and tears pouring from my eyes. I had several visions of Naruto; Him living alone with no knowledge of who his parents were, the villagers were down right vicious to him, the only people he had to turn to were Lord Third, Teuchi-san and Ayame, and Iruka. No matter how much hatred and darkness surrounded him, he always smiled.

During the academy, he had no control over his chakra and could barely make a clone. He was bullied and teased, to the point he cried himself to sleep every night. He failed the genin exam three times before he finally managed to pass, but only after stealing the forbidden scroll of sealing and learning the shadow clone jutsu.

The next one, I was named the jonin captain for team 7. The team was made up of Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. They constantly fought, Sakura constantly beat on Naruto because he got close to Sasuke and she was jealous. 

Probably one of the worse ones, was one that had me knocking on Itachi’s door in the middle of the night. In this one, Danzo had convinced Itachi to slaughter his entire clan. The only survivor was Sasuke. After Itachi killed them, he left the village and joined that group Jiraiya’s been keeping an eye on. He was Jiraiya’s main spy, but he was also helping that group find and kill the jinchuriki. 

Throughout the visions, Naruto learns about the kyuubi and how to access his chakra. He kept getting stronger and stronger. Sasuke defected after I taught him the chidori. He and Naruto fought, and nearly killed each other. Sasuke went to Orochimaru to gain more power so he could kill Itachi. 

Eventually, Sasuke manages to kill both Danzo and Itachi. He meets the masked man… I can’t anymore, please don’t make me…”

“Kakashi stop!”

Minato grabbed Kakashi’s wrists and held his arms away, Kakashi had started clawing at himself again.

“You know who the masked man is don’t you?”

“That’s enough Shi, can’t you see he’s..”

“He’s not a kid anymore Minato. This masked man is the same one who killed those ANBU and jonin that night, and has been going after the jinchuriki. He’s the reason we don’t send genin out on missions out of the village.”

“I understand the importance of this Shikaku, but he is attempting to claw his eye out again. I already healed those wounds once.”

“I can’t say because you won’t believe me…”

“I promise we will Kakashi, but you need to tell us who it is.”

“Technically he’s two people. One of them… He was crushed during an accident while on a mission. Someone found him and grafted cells from Hashirama-sama onto the body. He.. He’s an Uchiha..”

“You can’t mean… Obito?!”

“Obito and Madara Uchiha… I didn’t learn that until this last vision. There was a war, all the shinobi villages joined forces to fight against Madara and Obito. Naruto managed to knock some sense into Obito, causing him to switch sides and fight with us but then Madara killed him. In that war… Everyone else died.. When sensei finally snapped me out of it, the only ones left alive were Naruto, myself and Shikamaru… We tried to seal Madara away but we failed...The last thing I saw before waking up was Naruto holding Shika and screaming. Then I was back in my room with sensei.”

Kakashi covered his face, not wanting to see the faces of the other two men. He barely believed any of it himself, and if he hadn’t seen it all with the sharingan then he wouldn’t believe it.

“It’s almost like those visions were captured by the sharingan and have been playing over and over in my mind.”

“More than likely that’s exactly what it was. I don’t believe in time travel, but at this point it’s possible. It’s likely the memories from a future us came back as our future selves died.”

“If that’s the case, wouldn’t they have come back to me?”

“At one point during the war, Orochimaru used reanimation jutsu to revive the first four hokages. Tsunade was the hokage when the war began.”

“And when did the reanimated Minato die?”

“I don’t think he died before me, so I don’t know.”

“Then it’s possible that’s why you haven’t had any of these visions. We need to talk to the others and find out if they’ve had similar visions. I’m sorry for pushing you kid, but we needed to know.”

“It’s fine senpai. What are we going to do about Obito? As much as I want to try to save him, it wouldn’t be wise. If he lives, then Madara can be revived and if that happens, we’re all dead. That reminds me, has Jiraiya left yet?”

“No he doesn’t leave until tomorrow. He wanted a chance to say goodbye to Naruto.”

“His death is one that caused Naruto to lose control of the kyuubi and nearly wipe out Konoha. I know who it was that killed him. I need to tell him if he doesn’t know already.”

“He’ll come by tomorrow morning to see Naruto, you can talk to him then. As for Obito… I agree with you. It pains me to have to kill a former student and comrade, but for the sake of us all he can’t live. I think that’s enough for now, we’ve all had enough shock and pain for a lifetime let alone one night. Let’s join the others for dinner. We’ll call an emergency meeting tomorrow and discuss this further.”

They all agreed and left the study, letting the wards fall as they closed the door behind them. Entering the dining room, they all put on smiling faces.

“This smells delicious. Is it one of Kushina’s recipes?”

“It is! Mom called it spaghetti in her book. The sauce is really good! Yoshi-san let me taste it!”

“Thank you for letting him help Yoshino-san. He enjoys cooking.”

“He didn’t help, Naruto cooked this all by himself. I just put the rolls in the oven for him. He’s becoming quite the little chef.”

Naruto beamed at the praise and Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

“Little is right, he had to stand on a stool to stir the sauce.”

“Meanie! It’s not my fault I’m so short! You watch, someday I’ll be taller than you!”

All the adults laughed heartily and everyone sat down to eat. The first sounds of pleasure from eating something delicious came from Shikamaru. His father snorted but gave his own sounds of appreciation at the meal.

“Damn Naruto, that’s better than Yoshi’s cooking. Sorry my love but it’s true.”

“Oh I agree. Makes me so proud as his teacher! Next week I’ll teach you how to cook venison stew.”

“That makes me happy, ya know! There’s plenty more too!”

“Then I believe I’ll have seconds. Anyone else?”

Once everyone had their fill, Shikamaru and Naruto took off to feed the deer and play before bath time, leaving the adults to sit in awkward silence. Yoshino spoke first.

“I won’t ask about it, because my gut tells me I don’t want to know. I will say this, if it’s dangerous, keep the kids out of it. They are far too young to handle the loss that comes with that kind of danger. And if you can’t keep them out of it, then at least keep them safe and make sure they’re prepared. Goodnight boys. Shikaku, you help me clean the kitchen.”

Shikaku knew better than to argue when she spoke in that tone, so he stood and followed his wife into the kitchen. Minato and Kakashi decided to head back to the cabin for the night. They needed this night to themselves before the proverbial shit hit the fan.

Minato took hold of Kakashi’s hand, and flashed them into his bathroom. No words were spoken, they weren’t needed. With shaking hands, they slowly undressed each other. Minato pulled Kakashi against his chest and let the spray of hot water cascade over them.

“The visions came to me when I was getting more of the food. It wasn’t you that killed me Kakashi. By that point I was already dead, If anything, you saved me. I would have killed Naruto if you hadn’t stopped me. Shh don’t cry, it’s alright.”

“I can still see the blood… Hear Naruto screaming.. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry I failed.”

“We all failed Kashi, we failed Naruto. Things are different now, we already changed that future. Tomorrow, we’ll call a meeting and talk with the others. We’ll base our next move afterward. Tonight, don’t think about anything but us. This time, right now. Naruto is alive, he has more friends and people that love him. I survived Obito’s first attack, I’m here. Forget the past that will never be repeated, don’t think about a future that will never happen.”

Slowly, Minato rubbed soothing circles into the muscle of Kakashi’s back. The younger man was beyond tense, his muscle was hard as stone. Kakashi continued to cry, but Minato began to understand it was relief. Relief that they hadn’t failed, that Minato was still alive, Naruto was safe, the village was safe. Their friends were still here.

Finally after several minutes, Kakashi’s body stopped shaking and he relaxed a little. He could feel exhaustion settle in and was slightly worried he’d collapse before he could make it back to his room. Apparently that didn’t matter, because soon the water was shut off and he was wrapped in a towel and shuffled into Minato’s room.

“I’ll grab us both some clothes so just sit down and relax for a bit. Oh stop your blushing, neither of us are in the right mindset for that tonight. I won’t touch you or let you touch me in that way until we are both of sound mind to consent. It’s not off the table for later though. You blush so easy, Kashi. Is that why you wear the mask?”

“No! When I was a kid, it was like a security blanket. Before the academy, people thought I was a girl and would tease me over it. So I started wearing the mask to hide it. As I got older, it became a habit mostly. It became part of my ANBU cover as well. I sometimes forget I have it on, I’ve gotten so used to it. I know about the bet going around the tower. How come you haven’t just told anyone?”

“I thought you might have a reason for it, and it’s not my place to pry. Besides, I think it makes Naruto feel special that he knows something the other’s don’t about you. Here, they’ll probably be a bit large on you like they are on me since we’re built about the same. Don’t laugh! Naruto gave them to me for my birthday.”

“Did he get them from Myoboku? The little toads on lily pads are too much! Ugh I can’t breathe..”

MInato gave in and laughed with Kakashi. This was what they both needed, a good laugh and a distraction. After catching their breath, they quickly dressed. Minato pulled the covers back and got into bed. He looked up at Kakashi, who looked a little unsure.  
“Do I need to pull you into the bed with my jutsu?”

Kakashi snorted and got in next to the blonde. He attempted to keep distance between them, a little secret that only his ninken knew, he was a cuddler in his sleep. MInato had other plans, however. He wrapped his arms around Kakashi and pulled him against himself.

“If you want to be the big spoon next time, don’t be so shy.”

A huff of tired laughter was all that was heard before both men fell into the first true sleep either had experienced in several years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next episode will have some minor citrus between our first revealed couple. Plus the second major event that will change from the anime. Can you guess what it is?


	11. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of naughtiness from our first couple, a conspiracy, a changing of the guard, and Kakashi snaps!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, there is naughty things at the beginning of this chapter! Two guys being cute and naughty in the morning. Don't like, then skip down! Enjoy the show!

Chapter 10

Konoha Village Nara Estate Cabin

Kakashi woke that morning feeling warm and well rested for the first time since before he lost his father. He blinked a few times and flushed a deep red when he remembered what happened the night before. Wondering if that had just been a dream, he shifted and gasped when a warm solid heat shifted with him. Nope, not a dream. That meant he really was in Minato’s bed playing little spoon to said blonde. 

At some point during the night, he had rolled over in his sleep. He was now aware he was staring at a firm muscular and tattooed, wait tattoo? Train of thought forgotten for the moment, Kakashi brought his hand up and traced the intricate ink across Minato’s chest. It was the seal for his Flying Raijin jutsu. So that was his secret for teleporting even when he didn’t have his kunai. 

A sudden moan ripped itself from his throat, and his face fell forward to rest his forehead on the very pec he’d just been tracing.

“It’s not nice to molest people in their sleep, Kashi. Not that I mind it. Good morning. How did you sleep?”

Kakashi will deny it until his death, but when Minato moved his leg again, he whimpered.

“Minato… I can’t think.. Ah!”

His body shivered and his hands gripped Minato’s shoulder’s.

“What’s wrong? Not feeling well this morning? You are awfully red... Kashi!”

Tired of being teased, Kakashi took matters into his own hands. Literally. While Minato had been distracted, Kakashi slid his hand into the opening on the blonde’s sleep pants. There was no more talking between the two. They separated long enough to strip out of their pajamas, then Minato pulled Kakashi down onto his lap and into a passionate kiss.

Kakashi moaned and circled his hips to rub his erection against Minato’s. The resulting moan from the blonde set Kakashi’s blood ablaze. Minato reached into his bedside table drawer and pulled out a bottle of lotion.  
“We don't have time for the real thing, but this should take the edge off and let us focus today. Tell me to stop if you don’t want this, Kashi.”

“If you stop, I’ll use chidori at full blast on this.”

To emphasize his point, he squeezed Minato causing a delicious cry to fall from the blonde’s lips. Glazed, fully blown blue eyes opened to see Kakashi’s satisfied smirk. He squeezed a dollop of the lotion into his hand and wrapped his fingers around them both, pulling a hiss from Kakashi.

“Cold! Never figured you for a brat.”

Kakashi forgot how to speak when Minato began to jerk them both off. The pleasure was almost too much, and not enough at the same time. Trying to get more friction, he began rolling his hips, thrusting into the older man’s firm grasp.

“Hah! Minato.. Mina.ah ha ha..”

MInato’s eyes rolled and he growled. He’d never heard something so eroctic and downright filthy as his name called out in that manner. He could tell he was close, and thankfully it felt like Kakashi was as well or this would be embarrassing for the blonde.

“Let go Kashi. I’m so close…”

Kakashi opened eyes he didn’t know he’d closed and the sight before him shoved him over the edge. Minato looked absolutely fucked out. His face and neck were flushed, patches of red dotted his chest. Hair even more mussed than usual, eyes now black from lust. What sent him over was what he saw beneath the lust. That brief glimmer of something more.

He fell forward and bit down on Minato’s shoulder, away from where anyone would see, to keep from screaming out as he came. Minato was right behind him with a barely restrained grunt of Kakashi’s name breathed into his ear. They sat there for a few moments trying to calm their breaths. 

After a quick shower, Kakashi continuously apologizing for the bite, Minato telling him to hush, they dressed for a work day and left the cabin. In the kitchen, they found Shikaku and Yoshino sharing coffee.

“Well well you two finally decided to stop beating around the bush, huh? Shi you can collect my winnings. No IOU’s please.”

“Damn you two couldn’t wait just one more week could you? Anyway I went ahead and sent word out to the others. We’ll be meeting at Chouza’s place instead of the office. The wives are bringing the kids here since Iruka will be with us. No one else knows the curriculum for the advanced class, so we’re giving them a break today. Yoshi baked so grab a bite and let’s get going. We still have the meeting for the chunin exams today.”

Each of the three men grabbed a pastry for each hand and headed out the door. Shikaku kissed Yoshino goodbye before he followed the other two. She shook her head and went back to her puzzle.

“About time you two! Tsunade pay up!”

“Dammit Minato! DId you just have to prove the geezer right? I was counting on the pup to stay quiet.”

“Hand it over Itachi, never question my instincts.”

“I’m sorry to have doubted you father.”

“Ha! Called it Hiashi!”

“Yes yes, Tsume-san. I already approved the marriage. Hana will be a lovely bride.”

Minato and Kakashi couldn’t decide if they wanted to laugh at the situation or run and hide until it blew over. Several more debts were collected.

“How did you…”

“How much was the pot?”

“You knew about this?”

“I’m surprised you didn’t. They didn’t keep it a secret.”

Kakashi glared at Iruka, Itachi and Kotetsu. He lifted his hitai-ate and pointed his hand at the ground.

“Chidori…”

“Kakashi, you can’t kill them right now. Wait until after the meeting, alright kiddo?”

He glared at Shikaku but agreed. The three soon to be corpses had the audacity to look smug.

“Oh get over it Kakashi. It’s not like you didn’t bet on Itachi and I.”

“I didn’t actually. Since Genma ran his mouth about the bet, I’m guessing he didn’t tell you I tried to get them to let it go. I won’t actually kill you though, I have a much better idea.”

“Again, wait until after this meeting children. I doubt this is the reason we were all called here today.”

“You’re right Fugaku-san. There is no easy way to go about this except to just come right out with it. Have any of you had memories of something you can’t explain?”

Minato looked around the room and saw the knowing expressions on everyone’s faces.

“Based on the silence, I’m guessing all of you have. That makes this a bit easier. What are we going to do to prevent this from happening again. We can’t very well just kill the enemies and that will be it.”

“We have to take care of Obito first. I hate it too kiddo, but it’s our best chance. I can deal with Konan and Nagato. In fact, I already have. Nagato is actually here recovering from numerous surgeries, one of which was to replace his eyes. And before the Uchiha clan asks, they were destroyed. It’s too dangerous to risk Madara from getting his hands on them. 

Nagato told me that Obito, or rather Tobi now, is being controlled by Madara through brainwashing. Before you say anything pup, keep in mind that as long as he lives, there is a chance for Madara to be revived.”

“I know Jiraiya-sensei. I don’t like the idea of killing him, but to save the village we have no other choice. Unless we can find a way to seal off Madara without the fear of him coming back later. I don’t know what the rest of you saw, but I saw from the beginning when sensei and Kushina died to the very end when we all died. We’re going to need more than just stopping Madara. He’s not our only threat.”

“I believe it’s safe to say we each only saw what pertained to ourselves or our clans. Since you were there from beginning to end, you saw more. If that is indeed the case. I saw both my own and Sasuke’s ‘memories’ which I believe means the children won’t see them if we can stop it from happening.”

“Yeah the last thing our kids need to see is us dying. Or their little friends either. Any suggestions?”

“I have a few thoughts but I doubt seriously any of you will like them.”

“No sacrificing anyone, brat. The whole point is to survive and change the future, not kill ourselves and make it happen.”

“I wasn’t going to sacrifice anyone, not really. Well sort of anyway. Out of everyone in this room, Tsunade, can you name the most powerful shinobi for me.”

“Including Jiraiya and I?”

“No that won’t be necessary.”

“Then I’d have to say based on experience, chakra levels, and sheer power; Minato, Kakashi and Itachi are even, Shisui, Kotetsu, Iruka, Izumo, Genma, Gai, Asuma, Kurenai, Hayate,Chouza, Inoichi, Ibiki and the three ANBU in the back behind Fugaku. Of the ‘retired’ shinobi; Shikaku, Fugaku, Hiashi, Hizashi, Tsume and Hana, and even though they’re not here, Mikoto, Yoshino, Reina and Shibi. Now don’t go razzing Shibi you three. He may not have the chakra levels as you morons but he more than makes up for that in power and intelligence.”

“Don’t go crazy, this is a hypothetical question. If I were out of commission, who would you all choose to become Hokage?”

“Hands down, Lady Tsunade or Shisui. They both have the strength and knowledge to back up the hat, Tsunade has the lineage on her side as well. Shisui’s unique sharingan would put him at an advantage over the other kage for sure.”

“Awe come on Hayate! I was kidding back then! There’s no way in hell I want that hat. In my opinion, and since I think I know where you’re going with this Minato, I’d say either Tsunade or Jiraiya. The overall goal of the Hokage is to protect the people of the village by any means necessary. Since Jiraiya is our only spy master and has to leave the village regularly to maintain his network, I’d say Tsunade would be the best choice. 

Not only is she the First’s granddaughter, she’s the best medical ninja in all the lands. She also has the strength and chakra to protect the village from attack if need be.”

“I agree with Shisui, and I might add as well, no one in the village will accept an Uchiha as Hokage. It’s a truth I don’t like but it’s a truth nonetheless. If this is truly the plan you intend to follow, then the best plausible option would be Lady Tsunade.”

“I hate you for even thinking this brat, but I have to agree with you. We will need you free to move around in the coming days and you can’t do that as Hokage. What do you plan to do about Naruto and the kids?”

“I have the answer to that. I’ve been thinking about this since I got the reports from Iruka and the jonin captains about their skills assessment. The mock chunin exams are being held next week to give our security teams a chance to run through their roles. I say we let the kids take part. See what they’re really capable of. I don’t expect any of them to actually complete the entire exam, but if they do, then I say we at least start taking their training more seriously. They’re too young for actual missions away from the village but…”

“They can gain experience and even more training if we take them away from the village. The idea has merit. If the kids manage to pass the mock exams, I say we take them out of the academy and give them apprentice training. Once we feel they’re ready, we’ll bring them back to take the real chunin exams.”

“I see we’re all on the same wavelength then. I want all of the kids to do at least a year if not two with ANBU before they get promoted past chunin. Unless you plan for part of your training to include assassinations. I hate the idea of forcing children to kill, but if things go south and a war breaks out, I’d rather they be ready for killing and not ending dead themselves for hesitating.”

“Unfortunately I agree with you. I had already planned on training Sasuke with the new ANBU recruits. I can take on any of the other children if they are willing, I will warn you, I do not plan to hold back.”

The group worked out all the details of their plan of action before calling an end to the meeting. Minato, Tsunade and Shikaku headed to the tower, while the others went off to their respective places to wait for their summons. At the tower, everyone cleared a path, they could feel the killing intent coming off the three as they made their way through the halls to the main meeting hall.

“Bear, summon all counsel members and prepare our fastest birds. Once the meeting is over, I want the announcement sent out immediately. Cat, get the strongest ANBU you trust to stand guard at the gates. I want them closed, no one in or out. There are no missions scheduled for today, and none scheduled to return today. 

Genma, Hayate, Kotetsu and Izumo will be coming shortly for the meeting on the chunin exams, have them report here instead. We’ll cover both meetings at the same time. The rest of you make the preparations for the meeting.”

“Lord Hokage, where is Kakashi-san?" 

"I have Kakashi doing something for me in the archives, you all have your orders.”

Bear and Cat disappeared, the rest of the office workers scattered to get everything ready for the meeting. One by one people started trickling in. First were the civilian council representatives, Sakura’s grandmother and Teuchi from Ichiraku’s. Then the members of the shinobi council, followed by the members of the clan council. 

Once all members were present, Minato began the meeting.

“This is the first time since Danzo and the former civilian council’s trial that we have all gathered in one place. Thankfully, this time, no one is on trial. You can all relax. Today I have called this meeting to discuss two very important things. The mock chunin exams, and my resignation. Before chaos ensues, let me explain.  
I feel the best way for me to protect this village, and it’s future, is for me to return to active duty as a shinobi. I have thought long and hard about this, and discussed it with my advisors many times. I even sought the advice of Jiraiya-sensei and Lady Tsunade. Of course they had reservations about this decision, because I haven’t held the position for very long. If we stop and think about it, I’m really not fit to be Hokage. I never was. I only accepted the position because of Lord Thirds degrading health. Under my leadership as Hokage, we’ve been attacked, infiltrated and almost had a civil war.

I’m fully aware that once I resign my title, I cannot reclaim it later. Honestly I’m okay with that. The only reason I stayed on as long as I did was for my son, and now, I’m resigning for him as well. This brings me to the mock chunin exams.

Next week, we will be holding the mock exams as a way to test our security patrol routes and check for any flaws in our strategies. The exam coordinator and the proctors have all asked that we include this year’s academy genin in the mock exams. They wish to test the genin to their fullest and assess what potentials they may have. I agreed with this for one reason only. In this time of peace, we have become complacent. In the past, we were pushing genin out to fill in the gap in ranks because of the war. They were ill prepared and most of them died right after graduation.

If war were to break out tomorrow, I don’t want to see that happen to Naruto or his classmates. The other nations are putting their children through extremely rigorous training, and I feel we should be as well. If the kids manage to pass the mock exams, they will be sent for further training under the guidance of their teachers. Uchiha Itachi, Hatake Kakashi, Jiraiya-sensei, Senju Tsunade, Nara Shikaku, Myself and the Hyuuga brothers have all agreed to train these genin as our students. 

By the time their training is finished, these students will be ready for the chunin exams. After they pass the chunin exams, they will train under ANBU for one year, then they will take the jonin exams. It is our hope that should a war happen, we will be able to send troops to battle and still leave capable fighters here to protect the village. 

Are there any questions?”

“Yes, I have a few. Who gave you the authority to make all these decisions? Last I checked, the Hokage only has jurisdiction over the shinobi.”

“Actually council member, that’s incorrect. Sorry I’m late, it was a pain in the ass trying to find what the old man did with these scrolls. When Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara first established this village, the role of Hokage was set as the sole governing body over the village. A representative from each clan in the village, made up the advisor council. 

In all the years since then, the only changes made to this was the addition to the civilian council. This addition was to give the non clan members a chance to have their voices heard. So technically, you don’t even need to be present for this meeting since it doesn’t pertain to the civilians so much as it does to shinobi.”

“I beg your pardon, but my granddaughter is a student at the academy. I have every right to attend this meeting that will decide her future.”

“Actually Haruno-san, Sakura-san dropped from the course to apprentice under me. She felt her skill set was better suited for being a medical ninja. So none of this applies to her.”

“Listen lady, I’m in a very bad mood today and I don’t really feel like listening to you spew crap. I’m guessing your next question had something to do with who would be replacing sensei, right?”

“Yes.”

“Lady Tsunade was appointed, and she accepted. Congratulations, she’ll be the Fifth Hokage. Happy now? Good keep quiet then.”

“You’re in a foul mood. We’ll wrap this up quickly then. All those in favor of the change in command.”

Arms went up around the room, hardly anyone had both hands down.

“Majority wins. I officially step down as Hokage. I leave the village in your capable hands Tsunade-san.”

“Yeah yeah brat. You owe me a case of sake for this. Get going.”

Minato and Kakashi left the meeting room, and for the first time in eight years, Minato felt like himself again. He looked forward to going on missions again, and teaching the genin. They waited in the Hokage office for Tsunade and Shikaku. 

“How do you think the other kage will react to this.”

“The Raikage has never liked me being the Hokage, so he’ll approve. I believe the Kazekage will be the most likely to oppose, since he never cared for the Senju clan. We can expect some backlash from this, and they’ll probably want to call a summit. What has you so on edge Kakashi?”

“That stupid bet. Even the pee-ons in archives were in on it. Don’t worry I didn’t kill them. I wanted to, but I didn’t. I know it’s not a big deal, and I don’t care that everyone knows.”

“I’m not happy about it either, but it doesn’t harm us or our relationship in any way so I just ignore it. At least so far they’ve all been accepting of us.”  
“Yeah there's that I guess. How much longer do we need to stay here? I’m getting anxious about the kids being unprotected.”

“The kids are at the Nara stronghold, which is a hidden location. Not even I know where it is or how to get there. They’re safer than we are at this point. I can hear them coming now, so not much longer.”

A few minutes passed and Tsunade and Shikaku entered the room. Tsunade slumped down behind the desk and Shikaku sat on the edge of the desk.

“You caused quite a shitstorm Kakashi. That old bat was raising all kinds of hell over how you talked to her. Alright so now we just follow the plan. For now, work your asses off to get those kids ready for the mock exams. I’ll be expecting responses from the other Kage, and in the meantime, you both will be tasked with locating Orochimaru. I know the target you want is Obito, but we need Orochimaru sealed before we do anything else. That and we need his henchman Kabuto dead. He’s as dangerous as Obito at this point because he was the one who revived Madara in the first place.”

“They were also the ones responsible for the never ending white Zetsu army. That reminds me, until we have Orochimaru and Kabuto out of the picture, I want Tenzou, I mean Bear off active duty from ANBU and placed under Minato for the time being. He has the highest concentration of Hashirama’s cells in his body. He can do the wood style jutsu too. He can help keep the kyuubi in check if Naruto starts to lose control.”

“Done, and done. You have your orders. You can get started tomorrow, I would start with Kabuto though. Don’t underestimate him and make sure you don’t hesitate.”

“Understood Lady Hokage.”

“Damn you brat! I want the good sake too, not the cheap stuff.”

Minato laughed and stood from his seat.

“You two should stop by the school and check in with the kids. As soon as the meeting was over, I sent an ANBU team to guard the place and had Yoshino move the kids there. Thankfully they didn’t have any issues. Those meetings were the only thing on the books for today other than paperwork. I’m going to walk Shizune through my job before meeting up with you at the school.”

“Sounds good. We’ll see you then.”

Minato grabbed Kakashi’s shoulder and performed the hand signs for his jutsu. They flashed out of the office and into Iruka’s classroom.

“Sage! Can you not do that! See Naruto, your dad and Kakshi are not in jail or kidnapped by aliens. I take it everything went well then?”

“Went as planned. I am now back to being just a jonin. Tsunade will officially take the mantle of Hokage after the mock exams. Have you told them about it yet?”

“Yes! And I can’t wait! We’ve been going over all the stuff we have to learn before we can do it. It’s a lot of stuff.”

“Yeah it is, kid. But, you’ll have all of us helping you between now and then. Even your dad will be helping.”

“That’s right. It’s going to be hard work, and you’ll probably get hurt. If any of you decide not to do this, that’s okay. We understand this is a lot to take on.”

“Not gonna happen. We all agreed we want to do the mock exams. This will be our way to find out exactly where we need the extra training.”

“Yep, and it will be a good way to see how we really work in teams. About the teams too, when will Shikaku-sensei get here? We were all wondering why he put us in the teams like this.”

“That’s easy kiddo. I tried to match everyone up with someone they knew well to start with. I wanted you to get a feel for what it’s like being on a team first. For the mock exam’s, you’ll be in the same three teams as you were for the assessment. That’s only because you’re already familiar with your teammates and their abilities. No sense in changing things up right now.”

“Who will we be going up against?”

“Rookie chunin and jonin. Most of which should never have been promoted. That’s why we changed up the proctors this year. Ibiki will be your first proctor, heh good luck with him. He’s a real hard ass.”

“Well we’re all doomed then.”

Naruto nodded his head. Shika was right, there was no way they could really take on chunin and jonin in a serious fight. He just hoped they all survived let alone pass.


	12. Interlude: Author's Note

The poll is closed! with a vote of 3-2 version 3 is the winner! Chapter 3 is going up momentarily and it's a doozy of a chapter. Probably the longest yet, but it wouldn't make sense to break it up and it's vital to the plot of the entire story. As a thank you to everyone that's been reading and leaving kudos and comments, I'm posting a bonus chapter! And since the poll was such a success I thought we could use it to pick the next pairing chapter! After the bonus pairing chapter, there will be some major character changes so be prepared.  
The couples to pick from are as follows:

1) IruTachi

2) Gaara/Sasuke (this will be a side story/one shot due to time skip)


	13. Chapter 11 (Version 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't shoot me!!!! Just remember I love you!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the chapter you all voted for! I warned you it was long. A total of 20 pages! Please enjoy the show and remember, flames make me cry @--}----

Konoha Village Outside the Forest of Death 0530

Shikamaru yawned and tried not to doze off. Normally he wouldn’t care about falling asleep anywhere, but at the moment, he had a very sleepy blonde on his back. He, Naruto and Hinata stayed up for the last two days cramming as much taijutsu and ninjutsu practice into their little bodies as possible.They breaked long enough to eat or nap for a few hours to rebuild chakra.

Minato stood next to the two, rubbing his hand in small circles over Naruto’s back to infuse chakra into the tired muscles. He’d already done the same for Shikamaru and Hinata. He wanted to make sure they were able to function when they entered the gate. The three teams had registered already and already had their scrolls. Thankfully, they all had the same Heaven scrolls.

Kakashi watched over them, a fond smile hidden by the mask covering the lower half of his face. His smirk grew when he thought about the deviousness of the plan they had all come up with when meeting with the other Kage yesterday.

“Five year olds? I’d blame you for this Tsunade but since I know you just donned the hat, the blame goes to you Yellow Flash. What’s worse, you brought your pet with you. You still have no respect for anyone but yourself.”

“Respect is earned, not given, Raikage. And to be perfectly honest, you should be grateful my late wife begged me not to lay waste to your village when I had the chance for your father did to Uzushino, and then your orders to have her kidnapped. Shall I remedy all that here and now? 

As each of us have already stated, A, we have no choice in the matter. I wouldn’t be doing this if we had more time. As it stands, the Akatsuki have already started their hunt. It’s only a matter of time before they start collecting the jinchuriki. We can’t let them get their hands on the tailed beasts this time. We can’t have a repeat of what happened.”

“For what it’s worth, I agree with Minato. It seems however, that the Akatsuki isn’t our only threat. We also have to deal with Orochimaru, and from what Kakashi told us that was pretty much the starting factor for a lot of what went wrong before. The visions I had were limited at best, so I’m not certain how to proceed.”

“Well for starters, Kazekage, stop trying to kill your son. If you want him to gain control of the tailed beast, he needs to be in a better place mentally. You’re more than welcome to stay in the village with your children so that Gaara can interact with other children his own age. Plus having another jinchuriki around would benefit him as well.”

“I’ll tell you what. If your brats can pass the mock exams, not just survive them but actually pass them, then I say you make them chunin. Once they reach chunin status, send me the jinchuriki and they can train with B. He’s been in control with his biju for years now.”

“I will agree to those terms, Raikage. Now about the possibility of forming the Allied Shinobi Forces. I think it would greatly benefit all villages if we formed it now and be prepared for war whether or not it actually comes. If we work together to bolster strength in the villages, we stand a better chance of keeping the jinchuriki out of enemy hands.”

“Lady Hokage, though I agree with you, I don’t see the merit of forming such an alliance unless it mutually benefits all of us. Sure it protects the jinchuriki, but it also takes most of our shinobi forces off their normal duties. What benefits can we gain from this alliance as a whole?”

“I hate to agree with the woman, but she’s right. The Sand is stretched thinned with our forces already. What guarantees can you give me that none of you will attack once the threat is over?”

“To be fair, Mizukage, Kazekage; the same could be said for the rest of the villages. The last great shinobi war devastated all our ranks. Because of this, we were forced to send unprepared new genin to their deaths many times. That’s why this alliance in and of itself holds benefits for all. In times of peace, the forces will remain with their respective villages, but in the time of an attack or a war breaks out, then we each call on one another for aid. 

Once peace returns, we help each other rebuild and regroup. We already alternate the chunin exams. I say we expand and hold joint jonin exams as well. One day, even possibly building one joint academy or at the least, opening our own academy doors to each other. Each village specializes in certain chakra natures and jutsu. It would be beneficial for the future generations of our villages to learn from each of us.”

“What you say holds merit, Lady Tsunade. If you add medical ninjutsu training to that roster, you’ll have my vote. I have several fresh genin that show potential in ninjutsu, but we only have one or two jonin level ninjas that can teach it.”

“Agreed. We have a staffed medical facility but no field ninja trained to tend to the wounded outside the hospital.”

“Same with the stone.”  
“I would like to have some of my medical ninja retrained myself. They know just the basics in field practice and not much else in a hospital setting. Do you agree to these terms Tsunade?”

“I have no problems teaching medical ninjutsu on a large scale, but I have only one assistant and one apprentice right now. Let me grow my own staff, then we will take on any who want to learn it. If this is acceptable then I accept your conditions.”

“Then we’re all in agreement. When all village genin pass their mock exams, they will become chunin. After they reach chunin status, they will train with their assigned teachers to reach jonin level. As for the jinchuriki at genin level, bring your jinchuriki to Kumo, Killer B will take them to our secret island fortress and train them to bond with and control their tailed beasts. By the time they’re done with their training, they will all be jonin level, some possible on par with Tsunade and Jiraiya. 

Now with your permission Tsunade, may we stay and observe the exams? I understand the first portion has already concluded. Who was the proctor and the final results?”

“Morino Ibiki. All 9 rookie genin and 3 older genin passed the first portion, much to Ibiki’s amusement.”

“Interesting. And the proctor for the next exam? I remember the second portion well from the last exams Darui was out for a month!”

“Shikaku passed the torch on to a former ANBU operative going by the name Yamato. Thanks to Orochimaru’s meddling, he contains cells from my grandfather, and is the only living shinobi that can perform the woods style jutsu my grandfather devised. He’s promised to make it interesting this year.”

“Hah! Sounds like it. Are we welcome to observe?”

“Of course, Lord Raikage. Our ANBU corps has grown since the attempted attack on the former Hokage.”

“Again, I am sorry for that misunderstanding. That boy was supposed to report to you, Minato-san, not stalk you. He was terrified that he would be killed.”

“All forgiven, Lady Mizukage. No harm was done and it actually brought our attention to security issues we had, so if anything it was a welcomed accident. A question of you all before we depart..”

“Go ahead and ask, boy.”

“During the special training of our genin, would it be possible to get permission ahead of time to visit your villages? Last thing we want to do is cause problems for this young alliance.”  
“Of course, Minato-san. And let the other instructors know as well. All we ask is that you let us know when you will be visiting so we can be sure to allow for your entrance without setting off the alarms.”

“Thank you.”

Think of the devils and they will appear, or in this case their spawn.

“Hello young sandlings, shouldn’t you be with your father, or at least your leaf escort?”

“We lost the masked guy a while back, and father is with the other Kage in the observation room. Is Konoha so weak that it can’t protect itself from a few kids?”

“Not at all. We just fight kids with even stronger kids.”

“ Kashi-sensei, be nice. They are guests of Baa-chan. Oh so cool! You have red hair? That’s so neat! My name’s Naruto, what’s yours?”

“Gaara.”

“That’s a cool name! This is my best friend Shikamaru, but I call him Shika. The rude scarecrow is Kakashi-sensei, if you wanna annoy him, call him Kaka-sensei. He deserves it anyway for picking on kids. It was nice to meet you Gaara, but now I have to go into that forest. If you follow Kaka-sensei and my dad, he’s the tall blonde guy over there, when they go to the observation room, you can watch us on the monitors. Bye Gaara see you later!”

“Why was he so nice?”

“Naruto? He likes to make new friends and is quick to warm up to anyone, unless they hurt someone he cares about. Naruto is very protective and loyal to his precious people. You must be someone special, Gaara-san. My son only chooses people he sees the good in.”

“Because I’m the demon of the sands?”

“Don’t let him hear that. Naruto is a jinchuriki as well. He doesn’t see the tailed beasts as demons, only misunderstood and mistreated. When he’s done with this portion of the exams, you should get to know him while you’re here. Who knows, the two of you could end up dear friends. Let’s head up to where your father is.”

MInato and Kakashi lead the three children off to the observation room, Minato having an interesting conversation with Gaara about his sand along the way. The redhead’s siblings looked on in complete shock.

“What drew you to that Gaara kid, Naru?”

“Kurama. He said Gaara is another jinchuriki. He holds the one tail. He looks so sad Shika, he’s the same age as us but he looks so much smaller than us. Kurama is telling me that the one tail is mean to Gaara, doesn’t let him sleep and is always bullying him.”

“I know that no matter how many times I tell you to not interfere, I know you’re going to. So be careful okay? I don’t want you getting hurt trying to save everyone again.”

“I’ll be careful Shika, I promise. Now let’s go pass this portion too! Everyone remembers the plan?”

“I should hope so, we all came up with it and we’ve all been going over it the last week and a half since we learned about the mock exams.”

“Seriously dobe, we don’t need to go over it again. Unless you forgot your part.”

“Stuff it Duck Butt. I know my part. Should we try to include the older genin, or stick to just us?”

“Stick to just us for now. We’ll assess them and only approach when we deem them not a threat to us. They might be genin like us, but we know nothing about them.”

“Okay then, lets go!”

Everyone shook their heads at Naruto’s new found enthusiasm. Even with the chakra boost to their tired bodies, they were exhausted. Not to mention no one to expend too much energy right at the start. They made sure to be the first teams there, so they could get in and set up a good spot to hide out in. They would wait for the other teams to come to them, and take them out one by one until they had the right number of scrolls. Once each team had a complete set, they would make their way to the arena. No sense in wasting time. 

“This should be it. Alright let’s get the traps set, and check what tools we have between the nine of us, we should have a decent haul of tools and weapons. Ino you brought the medical supplies right?”

“That’s right. Got everything we would need, except for a bone saw. I brought extra bandages too just to be safe. I even got some medicine we can use for Akamaru or Kyo if he needs it.”

“That was thoughtful of you, Ino. Akamaru says thanks!”

‘Naruto, tell the fleshling of my gratitude.’

“Kyo says thanks too, Ino. Hang on to the extras. They might come in handy later on. I have a feeling it will take the other teams a day or two to really get started, so we should go ahead and set this place up as base. How do we hide it though? I don’t think a basic genjutsu will cut it against chunin and jonin.”

“The Hyuuga clan uses a type of genjutsu called mirage. It uses water particles in the air to reflect a false image. It’s why I said to choose a spot near the river. Set up the camp and when we leave I’ll put up the genjutsu.”

“That’s actually pretty neat Neji. Is it something you can teach me or a clan secret?”

“You would want to learn genjutsu? I don’t mind teaching it to you, but I would have to get permission from my uncle first.”

“Yeah! I’m not very good with using genjutsu or breaking one. Tachi-ni was supposed to help me with it but since he took over the ANBU he’s been so busy.”

“I keep telling him to take you with us when we train with the ANBU but he says Fluffy said to wait a little longer. I think he wants to do some of that stuff with you instead.”

“Oh could be. I’ll ask my dad about training on genjutsu with Neji when we pass the exams.”

“Right, in the meantime, let’s get this camp set up and the traps out. Sasuke, can you help me with the kunai? Neji, can you and Hinata take care of the land mine fields?”

“Of course, let’s go Hinata-sama.”

“Right!”

“Hey Choji can you help me with the tents. Apparently Shika forgot I’m short.”

“Actually I was gonna have you help Kiba with the senbon canons.. But having you help with the tents work too. Ino you mind helping Kiba?”

“Not at all! Come on Kiba.”

It took several hours, but they finally got the base camp set up. After a break for lunch, they sat in the middle of the tent and discussed their plan for the next three days.

“Okay Shino and Kiba, what kind of wildlife can we expect here? Last thing any of us want is to be eaten or killed by something after making it this far into the exams.”

“To my knowledge there are six venomous spiders, wasps, bees, mosquitoes, fleas and ticks, numerous types of beetles. The spiders are the biggest worry we should have as far as the bugs go.”

“Yeah, basically. For the animals, we’ll be having more worries. Bears, wolves, too many varieties of snakes, most of which are venomous, wild boar, wild dogs, skunks, raccoons.. Different birds. Yeah long long list. Worst part is, Hana told me that most of the animals in this forest are huge. Not sure if she’s being honest or not though. I recommend keeping your eyes open and stay alert. We should rotate teams for guarding the camp. One group watches while the other two sleep for so many hours.”

“That’s a good idea, we’ll let team three sleep first. Team two will take first watch, then team one will switch out and so on. We’ll say every four hours until sunrise.”

“Okay with that settled, the next thing we need to do is discuss battle strategy. I might be so so with forming a plan in the heat of the moment, but Shika is our brains usually.”

“We’re all pretty smart in our own rights, but Naruto-kun is right. Shikamaru-kun is the smartest at this.”

“Yeah yeah, such a drag. I’ve already come up with and thrown out a lot of ideas. The only one that sticks will be risky. Someone is likely to get hurt, so we have to be extra careful and watch each other’s backs.”

Everyone nodded and agreed.

“So this is what I came up with. Shino, you finished with that map?”

“I’ve marked our location and the location of all the other gates. Hinata also took the liberty of mapping out the mine fields for us.”

“Thanks for that, Hinata, Neji and Shino. I see Neji added where the other traps we set up are. So the plan will go like this; Neji, Hinata, Kiba and Shino are our best tracking and scouting ninja. Shino also has the added bonus of being able to communicate with his beetles. Ino is our best interrogator with Naruto as a close second, but he’s better suited for combat. Choji is our best defender and a perfect way to literally bowl over our opponents. Sasuke is our all arounder, attack, defense, infiltrate and extract. I can handle restraints and mid range attacks but my skill set is best used during interrogations right now.

First, we’ll have Shino send out three groups of insects to the west east and south of our location. We’ll give them about twenty minutes to look for enemy teams, then they’ll report back to Shino. Shino, you’ll work with Sasuke and Choji. Find and take down as many teams as you can and gather their scrolls, then return to base.

Neji, I’ll have you cover the north east section with Ino and Hinata. Hinata, I'll need you to burst your Byakugan behind you to keep Neji’s blind spot covered. Again take out as many teams as you can and gather the scrolls then return to base. Treat any wounds and rest to restore chakra. We’ll bury the scrolls we gather until we’re all back together.

Kiba, I want you and Akamaru with me and Naruto. We’ll take the perimeter of the forest and follow the fence line through the trees. We’ll have more ground to cover and less places to hide for ambush or sneak attacks, but I think the five of us can handle it. If anyone runs into trouble or is injured too badly to continue, flare your chakra or if you don’t have enough chakra then use a smoke bomb.

Once we have all six scrolls, we’ll pack up and head for the arena as fast as possible. That’s why I chose this location. We’re in the middle and pretty close to the arena. Any questions about the plan?”

“None from us.”

“None here either.

“Good, we’ll rest up tonight and get as much sleep as possible. Tomorrow we put our plan into action. Keep on high alert for enemy teams and wildlife.”

Everyone broke apart and went about their own thing while keeping watch on their surroundings. Shikamaru sat back against a log Choji had dragged into the camp and Naruto was sprawled in his lap, head on his shoulder. Everyone was so used to this arrangement, no one said anything. Kiba snorted when Ino mimicked kissy faces and Hinata blushed a bright scarlet.

The rest of the afternoon had been uneventful, other than Naruto being dubbed chef of the mission and team two offering to take over guard duty first to let Naruto and Shikamaru sleep. For dinner, Kiba caught some fish and Ino and Hinata gathered vegetables and roots. Choji pulled some Miso base, rice and seasonings from his bag. No one questioned this because it was Choji. Together, the group had made a full, delicious meal.

After the meal was finished, team two took up position for guard duty while teams one and three lay down for a brief nap. Temperatures were dropping as the sun began setting, so Shikamaru and Naruto put Hinata between them to keep her from catching cold. Much to her chagrin, she blushed so hard she passed out.

Four hours went by quickly, and Naruto and Shikamaru rose to cover their shift, but left Hinata resting. Neji filled in for her, saying he’d slept enough and his byakugan was stronger anyway. A few times during the second shift, something rustled the bushes. Akamaru glanced up and sniffed but ignored whatever it was. Kyuubi and Kyo both told Naruto it was just a small forest creature and nothing to be concerned over.

It wasn’t until just before dawn, during the final shift change, that the first attack happened. Out of nowhere, a shower of shuriken and kunai rained down over their heads. Everyone sprung into action and went on the offense.

“Do we have a visual on the enemy?”

“Several in fact. We’re surrounded it seems.”

“Chakra levels?”

“Most are mediocre at best but there are some with higher levels. Only one seems to be on level with ours.”

“Naruto!”

“I’m already on it Duck Butt stop yelling. Multiple shadow clone jutsu!”

Naruto popped out about ten clones to even the numbers and set them all out to attack. He knelt for a moment to catch his breath and speak with Kurama.

‘Any chance I can borrow some chakra aibo? I’m about to be on my reserves and I don’t want to pass out when there’s danger.’

‘Consider it done kit, now get going. Be careful, I sense a strong darkness among the weaker chakra. This person should not be here, they are above jonin level.’

“Ino, how far is your range right now? Can you reach our dad’s in the observation room?”

“Not during a fight I can’t. We’re right in front of a camera tho. Use ANBU sign language. Itachi and Kakashi should be watching.”

Naruto got right against Choji’s broad back.

“Cover me Cho!”

“You got it Naru!”

Naruto quickly flashed out a warning to Itachi.

Unknown/danger/red fox/pacing/chakra/rising

“Dammit! There’s not enough time! Sasuke, I’m going into red chakra mode. Keep me in check! I warned your brother.”

“I got ya dobe. Clear some space around Naruto, he’s going red one!”

The group jumped back about twenty paces and the enemy made the mistake of thinking they were retreating, so they pushed forward. Naruto closed his eyes and allowed the red cloak to overcome him.

‘No more than one tail Kurama! I still can’t control the higher levels yet.’

‘I know kit, I’ll heal your wounds, you just focus.’

Naruto stood up and opened his now glowing red eyes. The smirks on his teammates' faces as the enemy group stopped in their tracks with fear caused Naruto to give a feral grin.

“Turn over your scrolls and surrender, and I’ll let you all live. Or don’t and try your luck with the nine tailed beast’s chakra. It’s up to you.”

Thinking they could overpower him with sheer numbers, the group attacked all at once. Naruto crouched on to all fours and snarled. Oh well he warned them.

Back in the observation room;

“What’s he saying Itachi?”

“He’s warning us that something has Kyuubi-sama on edge, an unknown has entered the forest. He’s going into red chakra mode but only one tail. He can control this level well, but it will drain him of chakra and leave him wounded unless Kyuubi-sama heals him as they fight. Have Yamato on stand by. Seems for now Sasuke can handle the one tail but if he gets any higher, then Yamato will need to step in.”

“That kid is a jinchuriki? And already has that much control?”

“Yes, that’s Naruto. He’s been talking with the nine tails since before he was able to talk to us. The nine tails has been teaching Naruto how to harness his chakra without losing control. They’ve already covered mixing their chakra, and now he can manage two tails and still be in somewhat control. So long as he isn’t gravely injured or someone he cares about is hurt. Kakashi came back from an ANBU mission when Naruto was two, barely conscious and bleeding profusely. 

It was the first and only time he managed four tails, and he rampaged. It took the three strongest Uchiha members and Yamato just to hold him down. When he came to, it was like the skin had been peeled from his body. Took three days for the kyuubi to fully heal him, and he still doesn’t remember what happened. Thankfully, no one was injured too seriously or Naruto wouldn’t have forgiven himself. I believe Itachi suffered the loss of his eyebrows for a month, and that was the worst injury.”

“Incredible. I wouldn’t allow Gaara to train as a shinobi, for fear he would go on another rampage. The other children in the village are terrified of him, so none of them would work with him anyway.”

“He’s welcome to train with Naruto if you’d allow it. From what I’ve learned from the kyuubi, all the tailed beasts can communicate if they are in close proximity. Shinobi training was how Naruto learned to harness the kyuubi’s chakra.”

“Would you be interested in training Gaara? Where’s Gaara?!”

“Temmari and Konkaro are missing too, Lord Kazekage!”

“Uh I think I see them in the forest… About forty paces from the rookies.”

“This isn’t good. Get Yamato…”

“Wait Itachi. If we draw attention to them it will put them in even more danger. Besides, I believe the kyuubi can sense Gaara.”

“That is my son down there!”

“Mine is as well, Kazekage. Naruto won’t let anything happen to Gaara, nor will he let Gaara rampage. Just watch.”

Back in the forest….

“Shika! Those kids from the sand are headed straight for the mind field!”

“We got ‘em Naru. You deal with these bozos. Let’s go Neji.”

“Right behind you.”

Shikamaru and Neji flash over to the three other children.

“What are you three doing out here?! You’re going to get yourselves killed!”

“It’s Gaara! He started acting really strange and wandered out. We chased after him to see where he was going and we ended up here.”

“Well one more step and you would have been blown to pieces.”  
“Naruto is in danger. Shukaku is screaming so loudly, it hurts!”

“What do you mean danger?”

“There’s a monster in the forest and he’s after Naruto. I know where he is, but Shukaku said to go to Naruto.”

“Naru said you were a jinchuriki too. Can the three of you fight?”

“Shikamaru we can’t accept outside help on the exams.”

“This isn’t the exams anymore, Neji. This is life or death, to hell with the exams.”

“Yes we can fight. I’m Temmari, my usual weapon is a giant fan, Konkaro is a puppet user. We don’t have our weapons but we can still use jutsu and ninja tools.”

“I can supply you on the way. Let’s go.”

“Neji, I’m sorry. I..”

“No worries, Shikamaru. I understand.”

The group ran back to where Naruto was starting to tire out.

“Naruto! Call on more chakra!”

“Huh, Gaara? I can’t control more..”

“Yes you can. Your friends will be fine. I’ll join you, but you’ll have to take me down after. I can not control Shukaku yet.”

“Deal.”

‘Are you finally ready for this kit?’

‘I think so Kurama, but I’m still scared. I don’t want to hurt anyone.’

‘Put your faith in me kit. I know who is friend and foe.’

Naruto closed his eyes once more and the red cloak grew bigger, and a second tail sprouted. His eyes darkened to black, and he growled at the enemy.

“I warned you to go when you had the chance. Now you’re mine.”

“Naruto, focus on one enemy. He’s the one controlling the rest. They’re corpse dolls.”

“Where is he then?”

“Straight to the back, up in the biggest tree.”

Naruto shot out and headed to the tree at full speed, while Gaara transformed into Shukaku’s full form.

“No, Naruto! Shit Sasuke can you handle him like this?”

“Not alone, no. Dammit what is he thinking?”

“Don’t interfere. My brother is putting his trust in Naruto to take him down when this is over. No one can handle Shukaku, not even the Uchiha. We need to focus on these dolls. Don’t hold back, they’re already dead.”

Shikamaru looked torn, but nodded and turned his attention to the group of shinobi coming at them.

“My my, you’re not who I was hoping to snag, but you’ll do I suppose. Perhaps I’ll use you for bait.”

“Orochimaru!”

‘Kyo can you get word to Shika? My dad needs to know this guy is here.’

‘I can go right to your father. Focus kit, this man is dangerous.’

‘Yeah I know. Get going.’

Kyo transformed into his full form and engulfed himself in blue flames before taking off into the air. Naruto turned his attention to Gaara.

‘Kit we need to communicate with them. Put your hand to Shukaku’s tail.’

Naruto did as Kurama asked, and Shukaku turned to face them.

‘Shukaku my powers are limited in this form but Naruto’s body isn’t strong enough to hold my true form. He will need your strength.’

‘I know that you stupid fox! Now tell me what abilities can he use of yours?’

‘He can manage fox fire in this form. It’s his strongest attack when he feeds it with his wind chakra’

‘Perfect, have him ready it. I use oil bullets’

‘No you idiot tanuki. The entire forest will burn that way. Target the oil to the bastard cackling like Madara.’

‘Hmpf no fun. Fine!’

“Alright Gaki! Are you ready to quake in fear, flesh bags? Show me why the fox likes you so much and I might take it easy on ya!”

“Shut up and pay attention ya damn tanuki! Fox Fire Hurricane!”

“Oil geyser!”

Orochimaru tried to run, but felt himself frozen in place.

“No! How is this possible?!”

“Did you really think we’d leave a bunch of genin kids alone in this forest without help? You’re dumber than we give you credit for. Nara Clan, hold him down!”

“Sensei get back! I can’t stop the flames!”

“We’ll be fine kiddo. This bastard isn’t getting away this time. Sealing corps, stand by!”

“What the hell?! It’s the Yellow Flash! Heh and people said I was a demon.”

“Hello again Shukaku. I see you found a new host. You realize you're slowly killing him right?”

“Dad! Why are you here? The exams!”

“The second portion was stopped when Orochimaru entered the forest. The ANBU we had on stand by found the bodies of three shinobi, the council put an immediate end to the exam. You’ll still have a chance if we all make it through this fight. Keep your guard up. Your friends are in danger. We’ll take things from here on this side. You need to go help the others.”

Naruto didn’t respond, he flashed back to his friends. To Shikamaru. He was so focused on returning to his friends, he didn’t see the giant snakes. One shot right for him and pinned him to a tree. The second, shot for his leg and bit into his leg.

“AAAAHHHHHHH! Kurama!!!”  
‘I can’t stop this poison kit, hang in there. Stay alert, Jiraiya is a seal master he’ll know what to do.’

“I can’t move! Nooo! Shika I’m coming! Don’t die guys, hang in there!”

‘Can we send some chakra to them?’

‘I can send some to your shadow but it will leave us both weak and I won’t be able to stop the flow of the poison’

‘Do it Kurama, please.’

‘Very well kit, prepare for immense pain.’

Kurama transferred some of their combined chakra to Shikamaru through their strong bond, and Naruto screamed loud and long. The sound was blood curdling and seemed to call every allied shinobi to his location.

“Naruto! Oh Sage no!! Get Tsunade and Jiraiya! Hold on son, stay with me!”

“Dad? Dad I can’t see! It hurts so much.. Where… Shika?”

“Shikamaru and the others are fine Naruto. The chakra you sent to him saved them. No, no no no don’t go to sleep Naruto! Stay awake! I can’t lose you like I did your mother please… Tsunade!”

“Senpai move! I can save him but you’re in my way!”

“Anko!”

“Later Kashi! Where did he bite you kid?”

“L.Legg..”

“Cut these pants off and get me a sharp clean kunai!”

Minato ripped the material off Naruto’s left leg. Anko gasped, several people puked or gagged.

“Good thing Tsunade is here. That bijuu of yours is one smart fox. He cut off the blood flow to stop the poison from spreading. If we don’t get the poison out and reattach the blood flow soon, he’ll lose this leg. I have the antidote, is Tsunade here yet?”

“Here, these aren’t the best conditions for a surgery of this magnitude but we’ll make it work. Anko this isn’t the curse mark is it?”

“No. This is much worse. Focus on his leg for now. Someone get the Fourth and those kids out of here.”

Minato was dragged off by Kakashi and taken to where ANBU had moved the kids to outside the forest.

“Minato! Where’s Naru? Is he okay, we all heard him scream..”

“Calm down brat. Everyone sit down, stay quiet and don’t move no matter what I say or you’ll all be drugged up like Minato.”

The group looked at Kakashi and knew instantly that to disobey was not an option, so they sat down and stayed quiet.

“Naruto was on his way back to you all when he was attacked by Orochimaru’s summons. One held him to the tree, the other bit his leg. Tsunade and Anko are currently in surgery trying to save his leg and his life. Shikamaru I am warning you now if you set one foot through that gate. I will use chidori on you no matter what your father does to me. 

They do not need the distraction of a bunch of kids getting in the way. If those two can’t save him, then no one can. If you’re a believer I suggest you all pray and if you’re not, then now is a good time to start. As soon as he’s stable, they’ll move him to the hospital. Your parents are on their way to get you and take you all home unless you’re injured. No arguments! 

Naruto won’t be allowed visitors for a long while if he pulls through this. Someone will keep you all updated on his condition once the information is given to us. If you’re injured then stay put and wait for the medics. If not, here come your parents. Shika, your parents are helping stabilize and move Naruto so you come with us to the hospital. 

Look at me Nara. Hey! Look at me kid, you need to breathe. Last thing that boy needs is for you to lose control and be swallowed up by the shadows. Let’s go.”

Shikamaru stood on shaky legs as he gulped down air. His chest hurt, it was so tight he could barely breathe. He followed Kakashi and a still silent Minato all the way to the hospital. While they were walking, a dark shadow floated over them and he looked up to see Tsunade’s summon. A woman with purple hair dropped down behind them and they stopped and turned to her. Minato nearly tackled her.

“Anko, please my son?”

“We managed to stop the poison and save his leg, for now. He’s in stable enough condition, we felt it was safe enough to move him. The other Kage have sent word to their villages to bring every poison expert, medic ninja and supplies of herbs and medicines to konoha. Tsunade said to let you know that until Naruto is out of immediate danger, she won’t be leaving his side so you’re going to be responsible for the paperwork in her absence. Absolutely no visitors until Naruto is awake and Inoichi clears him. I mean it Minato. No one, not even you. That poison was just the carrier. Orochimaru perfected his curse mark sirum and until we know for certain what it does…”

“You will not imprison my son. Anyone that tries will have to kill me first. I may no longer be hokage, but the only two shinobi in this village that could stop me besides Tsunade and Jiraiya, are Kakashi and Shikaku. Neither one will even try to come between me and Naruto.”

“Calm down my friend. Anko, it’s not your place to decide what happens to Naruto. The council no longer has jurisdiction over him, neither does the hokage for that matter. I have already had a nice chat with Orochimaru. He said Naruto was never meant to be his target, he was going after Gaara. He told us how to neutralize the poison, but even if we can’t, then we’ll need to reinforce the seal holding the kyuubi in. The intention of that poison was to break the seal and release the tailed beast. He wanted to test it on Gaara before he used it on Naruto.”

“Naruto said he couldn’t see, is he going to be blind because of this?”

“There’s no way to know since he never tested it before. I wouldn’t worry too much about his sight Minato.”

“I need to see him. I need to see Naru! Please sensei, I beg you!”

Shikamaru showed his age in that moment. As he wrapped his small arms around Minato’s legs and cried, soul wrenching sobs that shook his small frame.

“I just told you…”

“That’s enough Anko. Minato go ahead and take him inside. Shizune is waiting for you both with Shikaku.”

Minato bent down and lifted the boy into his arms and carried them both into the hospital. They made their way over until they spotted Shizune and Shikaku.

“Any news on Naruto?”

“Yes, good or bad first?”

“Bad if you please.”

“The chakra pathways leading to Naruto’s eyes are completely severed, as well as the optic nerve. His current eyes will never work again.”

“And the good news?”

“The good news is, with time, and help from the Hyuuga clan, we can reopen his pathways and eventually give him new eyes. For now, until his leg heals and the pain won’t be as severe, we’re keeping him heavily sedated. His eyes aside, our most pressing concern at this point will be infection. He has no immune system to speak of right now because the kyuubi pushed everything Naruto had to stop the poison from spreading. 

Given the delicate situation the boy is in, I would normally forbid any visitors. Shikaku and Yoshino informed me of the special bond between Shikamaru and Naruto. Is it true, Shikamaru, that the kyuubi was able to send chakra to you from Naruto?”

“Yes… I still have some of it in me. I don’t know how to give it back to him since that lady said I couldn’t see Naru… Please let me see him!”

“I’m going to allow the two of you to see him, but first you both need to get completely clean, and you’ll both need to wear a set of medical clothes. No foreign objects can enter the room he’s in. Shikamaru will need to make skin contact with Naruto to return the chakra, but Minato, I’m afraid I need you to wear a protective suit.”

“I can wait until it’s safe for me to be with him. I need to hold my son but I’d rather he be able to feel me. Let Shika go alone.”

“I’ll get him cleaned up, then we need to talk about something I think can help boost his immune system back up.”

Shikaku took his son from Minato and headed down a hall off to the side. Shizune looked at Minato and could see the desperation in his face.

“Come with me Minato. While we wait for those two, you can at least see Naruto. Kurama, as he addressed himself, is holding the seal together from his side. We’re hoping that Shikamaru can help by giving back that chakra.”

“He can do so much more than that. That boy holds the key to Naruto’s seal. When Shikaku and I noticed how close the two were as babies, we set it up that way. Shikamaru is linked to Kyuubi directly. I didn’t want what happened to Kushina to be able to happen to Naruto. Granted he can’t give birth, but if the Akatsuki got their hands on him, I didn’t want it possible for the nine tails to be taken from Naruto. 

Even if the seal is destroyed on Naruto, Kurama can’t get loose unless Shikamaru releases the seal from himself. Naruto’s seal holds in the nine tails’ chakra and keeps him from going on a rampage. The goal is for Naruto to earn Kurama’s trust and friendship so that the seal is no longer needed. The more control Naruto gains over the chakra, the weaker his seal becomes.”

“I see, that’s actually ingenious Minato. I can also see why you kept it quiet. Something like that would cause a panic.”

“Can I see him now? I scrubbed myself red everywhere I have skin or hair.. Please just let me see him!”

“Shh, calm down Shikamaru. I’ll take you in right now. I’ll be back to talk soon.”

Shizune used her chakra to open the door to Naruto’s room, and pointed to a panel on the wall and another door on the opposite side.

“When I close this door, push the green button there and stand still. You’ll be sprayed with a special medicinal mist that kills off any germs or bacteria you picked up from us and the hallway. Once the spray is done, open that door and you’ll be in his room. To return the chakra, just touch Naruto’s skin with yours and the kyuubi will do the rest.”

He just nodded and waited for Shizune to close the door, then he pushed the button and waited. Once the spray finished, there was a beep and he opened the door. Inside the room he could hear a steady beeping sound and knew it to be the monitor Naruto was hooked up to. 

He walked slowly over to Naruto’s bed, and the tears began falling again at how tiny Naruto looked on the bed. He maneuvered his way through all the tubes and wires carefully, until he could lie down beside the blonde and wrap his arms around him.

“I’m so sorry! I should have ignored that girl and gone after you! I should have at least been there for you Naru… I’m so sorry.. I promise I’ll get stronger so I can stand beside you always. I promise someday I’ll be worthy of you. Until then, don’t you dare die on me. You promised me we would be together for real when we turn 15 and you never go back on your word.”

Shikamaru bent his head down and pressed his lips to Naruto’s, and suddenly his mind was pulled into Kyuubi’s space inside of Naruto.

“Hello Shikamaru Nara. You know me as Kyuubi, but you have earned the right to call me by my name, Kurama.”

“Hello Kurama. I’m sorry you had to take chakra from yourself and Naruto..”

“Hush boy. That was Naruto’s wish and the kit knew what he was doing. I brought you in here because you can save the boy far better than those fleshlings out there.”

“The Nara blood. We never get sick and most poisons don’t work on us because of something in our blood, is that right?”

“Clever for a fleshling. All they need to do is put some of your blood into Naruto and it will heal his leg, and strengthen his body to fight off disease and infection. Once his body is healed, I can heal his eyes but it will take time to rebuild everything.”

“I think my dad is already telling them about the blood thing. What can I do for him now, Kurama. I feel so useless.”

“The kit knows you are here, and that is enough for him. Never leave his side for longer than necessary. You have saved him more than you know. Train yourself hard young Nara. You have powers not even your father can access, and your potential is as great as Naruto’s. Return to your clan’s original home land and seek your training there, as Naruto will as well do.

When the time comes for you to reunite, you will stand on equal ground. I will wake the kit to say his goodbyes for now. Get stronger and prove to me you are indeed worthy, Shikamaru.”

Kurama vanished and Naruto appeared. He was pale and weak, but he was smiling.

“I’m glad he brought you here. I missed you and I was so scared I had lost you…”

“You moron! I almost lost you! Do you know how many years off everyone’s lives you took with that stunt?”

“Sorry Shika! Don’t worry though, Kurama said he can be my eyes until mine are healed, and he’ll protect me until we see each other again. I don’t want to be away from you, but Kurama said it’s the only way we’ll get stronger.”

“He’s right. I’ll be too focused on you to be able to train properly, so it’s best we do this apart for now. I’ll be back though. No matter where I go, I’ll always come back to you.”

“You better go now, Shika. I can’t stay awake for long and it’s taking a lot of chakra for you to be here. I love you and I’ll see you when we get back.”

“I love you too Naru. See you soon.”


	14. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto's prognosis, Minato's near break down, and finally the results of the exams! Plus a lot of feels in this one guys!

Chapter 12

Konoha Village Shinobi Hospital

“So if I’m getting this right, If we give Naruto some of Shikamaru’s blood, it will pull the rest of the poison out and he’ll heal a lot faster?”

“Yeah that’s what I said. I have a feeling once Kyuubi isn’t holding off the poison anymore, he can focus on healing the kid.”

“Pretty much dad, yeah. When I gave Naru back his chakra, the Kyuubi pulled my consciousness into his mindscape. We had a nice long chat about how to help Naru. Give him some of my blood, and it will heal everything but the eyes. Kyuubi said he would handle that part, but it will take some time.”

“I swear I’m tying a bell on you! Alright so all three of you are telling me the same thing, so all that’s left to do now is give him the blood. Hopefully he won’t lose too much during this process.”

“I would imagine no more than a vial’s worth should do. Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve used Nara blood to treat poisons. We’ll get started on it right away, in the meantime, go home and get some rest. Try to get a full meal in Shika-kun, even though it won’t be a lot of blood, you’re still rather small. That’s an order from your Hokage gentlemen!”

Shikaku snickered, Minato huffed and Shikamaru just rolled his eyes. Kakashi barreled down the hall and collapsed to his knees out of breath, Jiraiya following behind like a charging rhino.

“Minato! How is he?”

“It will take some time, but he’ll be okay. We’ve all been ordered by the hokage to get some rest and food into Shikamaru as soon as possible. For now sensei, I need your help with something. Until Naruto’s eyes are healed, I don’t want him leaving the village for training. Shikaku, we’ll need access to the catacombs, if you can get permission that is.”

“Of course. You’ll need myself or one of my kin down there with you at all times to hold the shadows back. They’d be drawn to Naruto’s chakra like a moth to a flame.”

“Honestly, I would like to ask for help from your kinsmen as well. The Nara clan is known for being able to see in the darkness of shadows…”

“Not a bad idea, but if you want help with that, take Shika with you instead. For some reason the shadows don’t bother him and the kid can see in pitch black darkness. He’s far more advanced than most other Nara kids. Give us a few days to deal with clan matters, then we’ll head down and get set up.”

“Jiraiya, I need you to head out to Uzushio and then to Lightning country. We need any and all information on Uzumaki jutsu that can be found. I’ll teach Naruto everything I know, but something tells me that won’t be enough.

“You’re probably right. I can take him to Mt Myoboku to see the toads as well. Kakashi, I think now would be a good time to let Naruto have that summons you’ve been training for him.”

“I’ve already alerted Pakkun and the others. Once he’s ready to go home, the ninken will be ready to double as a guide dog. I just hope he can get along with Kyo or this won’t work out.”

“I’m sure they’ll get along just fine, they’ll both have Naruto’s best interest at heart. Let’s get Shikamaru to the lab for his blood draw, then we’ll head out to get some food. I’ll stop in and let Naruto’s friends know he’ll be okay. I’ll see you all later tonight.”

Minato nodded to the small group of friends and put his hand on Kakashi’s shoulder. They turned away from the group and started making their way home. Shikaku watched the two walk away and noticed Kakashi’s arm going around Minato’s waist as the blonde slumped down with his face turned into Kakashi’s arm. He hadn’t seen the blonde cry since Kushina died, and hadn’t seen him look so beat down since the war.

Shikaku led Shikamaru over to the lab and stayed with him while the nurse drew his blood. The fact the boy didn’t even flinch amazed him, he was a grown man but he cringed at the sight of needles. 

“What do you feel like eating Shika?”

“Can we go for ramen? Should let Teuchi-san and Ayame-ne know that Naru will be okay. I’m honestly surprised they haven’t come yet.”

“Shizune probably told the village no visitors for a while. How about it Inoichi, you feel like Ichiraku’s?”

“I need to get home and let Ino know about Naruto. She’s probably worrying herself sick over him. Why don’t I bring her by to see Shikamaru later? Maybe hearing from him will help calm her nerves.”

“I have a feeling we’ll end up with the rest of the rookie nine at my place. Might as well make a night of it. The wives can cook. Just come on by, I’ll let the guards know to expect everyone. We’ll also tighten security and strengthen the seals while the kids are there. Not taking any risks with the Akatsuki on the loose. See you later.”

“Yeah, we’ll see you. Get some rest kid, you really surpassed all our expectations.When Naruto wakes up we’ll give you all the results of the exam.”

“Yes sir. Can I ask a favor of you Inoichi-senpai?”

“Sure! It’s not everyday you ask me for something, so if it’s in my power I’ll do it.”

“Can you train us so that we won’t fold under interrogation and torture?”

“Ibiki-san would be better equipped for that, Shika.”

“Maybe, but you’re the one Naruto trusts the most.”

“I can teach you jutsu to block others from getting access to your mind. As for torture, I still think Ibiki would be better. He won’t hold back where I will. I know what kind of training you’re asking for, and as a father, I can’t bring myself to do that with you kids. He’ll be training Ino and Choji as well, so it won’t be an issue to add two more.”

“That’s fine then. I feel dizzy..”

“Yep, I got ya. Let’s get that ramen and then you need a nap. So do I for that matter.”

Inoichi and Shikaku said their goodbyes and Shikaku lifted his son and carried the boy on his hip to the popular ramen shop. He was surprised to see Minato and Kakashi, thinking they had already gone home. Kakashi noticed the pair approach and looked up.

“Yo, you alright kiddo? Look a bit pale.”

“I’m okay sensei. Just got dizzy.”

“He gave blood already, and it seems like it affected him faster than we figured. Some food and rest will have him back to normal. Tsunade had them go ahead and take a full bag just to be safe. Stubborn kid told her he’d be fine. Hey Teuchi-san. Two bowls of the house special with nori and miso please.”

“Oh Shikaku! I’m sorry, hadn’t even noticed you were here.”

“Don’t worry about it Minato. Just a heads up in case you want to avoid a large group. Inoichi will be bringing Ino by, and I’m pretty certain the rest of the Naru crew will be close behind them. We’ll probably be making a night of it for the kids.”

“Would probably be a good idea to join in. Not sure I can take being in the cabin without him tonight. I know that he’s alright and that given some time he’ll completely heal, but..”

“As the boy’s father, you’re acting perfectly normal given the circumstances. I remember when Ayame’s appendix burst. I knew she was in very capable hands with Tsunade-hime, but as her father, I was still worried I would lose my only child. I’m glad to hear my favorite customer will be alright. I’ll have a pot of miso and pork ramen waiting for him, on the house.”

“Honestly Teuchi-san, that ramen will probably be enough motivation for him to recover faster. I feel terrible for not going in to see him. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it, if I had seen him lying there in that bed…”

“Dingbat, you shouldn’t see him when he’s like that. It would only upset him more. You’re the person he idolizes the most, for you to see him so weak and helpless would hurt him more than you not being there. Kinda wish I hadn’t seen him like that myself.”

“The kid’s right Minato. We’ll visit when he’s awake and feeling better. In the meantime, we need to keep up our strength and maintain our own well being or we won’t be much help when he comes home.”

“Alright, enough of the gloomy talk. Orders up! Smile Minato-san, or else you’ll make Naru-chan mad when he wakes up. Here you go Shika-kun, I put some pickled ginger and a few slices of pork chasu in there for ya. You’ll need the extra protein to boost your red cells back up. Eat up gentlemen!”

“You’re always a breath of sunshine Ayame-chan. Good food or not, I still say you’re the reason this place is so well liked.”

“Kakashi-san you horrible flirt, but thank you. You be sure to take care of those two for me, alright?”

“I’m sitting right here, you two. And he is correct, you do brighten this corner up. These noodles are excellent!”

The warmth that always seems to flow from Ayame in waves, helped to soothe the ache and worry. They all continued their banter with the young lady and her father, Shikamaru quietly asked for seconds with a slight flush on his cheeks.

Finally full and ready to head home, the group made their way to the Nara compound, still talking lightly among themselves. On the way, they were met by the other kids and their parents. The adults allowed the kids to walk ahead of them, hugged together in an awkward line. Minto could hear the sniffles and smell the salt from their silent tears. It both warmed his heart that they cared so deeply for his son, and made him sad that they were hurting as well.

Inside the main estate, Yoshino took full command of the kitchen and shooed the men and children out into the lounge room. Shikamaru led his friends out into the back garden, knowing the adults would only annoy them in hopes to cheer them all up.

“How is he really Shika? Daddy would only tell me that he’d be okay.”

“That’s more than the rest of us got. My mom just said to shut up and wait.”

“Father said we would be informed. Tch that only tells me they didn’t know anything yet either.”

“Since Ino was with me, Inoichi told me the same thing.”

“Uncle said that we would all find out together.”

“I was in the hospital having my arm bandaged, Tsunade told me Naruto would be fine, but nothing else.”

“Yeah he’s fine, or at least he will be. He almost didn’t make it because of the poison. I overheard our dad’s talking, Ino. Supposedly the poison was made by that bastard Orochimaru, it was meant to undo the seal holding in the kyuubi and make him rampage.Thankfully, it didn’t work. 

He’s currently blind, a side effect of the poison according to Shizune-sensei. After his body is healed from the poison, the kyuubi said he would fix Naru’s eyes. It’s gonna take some time though, and no we don’t know how much.

I’ll have to leave for training before he’s well enough to see again, so I’m counting on you guys to keep an eye on him for me. Keep him out of trouble will ya?”

“Of course but don’t you want to say goodbye before you go, Shikamaru?”

“Nah, it’s alright Hinata. We already said our goodbyes. Besides, I don’t think he wants me here while he’s trying to adjust without his sight. Was anyone hurt during the attack besides Shino? How’s your arm by the way?”

“Minor fracture that Tsunade-sensei healed. The bandage is to remind me not to overuse it until the muscle heals.”

“I think Choji had some minor cuts. Neji had a nasty gash on his head but they said it wouldn’t need stitches, and would probably heal better on it’s own.”

“Yes, I was informed to keep it clean and dry. No concussion, but I was told to return to the hospital should I develop any symptoms.”

“Akamaru had some injuries, he won’t be training with me for a few weeks. That’s what Hana says anyway. He’ll be fine though, already up and moving around.”

“Glad to hear he’s okay, and you too Neji. Choji you need to be more careful from now on. I’m going for a walk to clear my head. You guys stay here, they upped the level of security so it won’t be safe out here for you guys. Let my dad know I’ll be at the cave.”

Shikamaru didn’t wait for a response from his friends, and took off for the forest. He had to get away from all the people for a while. In that battle against Orichimaru, he barely did anything at all. He couldn’t help Naruto, he couldn’t help his friends. Because he wasn’t strong enough, they all got hurt and worse they nearly lost Naruto. 

None of the adults nor his friends would blame him for anything that happened. Why would they? He was just a kid, no matter how much chakra he had or how many jutsu he could perform. If he had been older, stronger, then he would have been able to do more. He could have saved them all this pain.

Shikamaru reached the cave in record time, and knelt on the ground in front of the small shrine he and Naruto had made for Kushina.

“I told you I couldn’t protect him. I know he’ll be okay but it still feels like I failed him. Like I failed everyone. Until I’m strong enough to stand beside him, can you look over him for me? I know that’s a stupid thing to ask, but…”

“Knowing Lady Kushina the way I do, I doubt she would see it that way.”

“It’s rude to eavesdrop Kaka-sensei.”

“Maa well, I’d say I didn’t hear anything, but I’m not about to lie to you kid. You shouldn’t put too much blame on yourself, kid. And stop reading so much into us calling you all kids. I’m well past being a kid, but all the older shinobi and civilians still call me that. You’ll be kid until the day you're old enough to pass on your knowledge and talents. Hell even then you’d still be kid to us. 

Yeah you screwed up, instead of going to your other friends, you should have stayed with Naruto. But, at the same time, it was because of you we were able to capture Orochimaru. It was your strategy that kept your friends alive during that entire fiasco. Every shinobi out there has made many mistakes that often cost them the lives of their teammates. 

Even your father screws up, kid. And as you get older, you’ll make more mistakes. What you take away from and learn because of those mistakes, that’s how you grow up. You’re right, had you been older, more experienced, then you probably wouldn’t have made that particular mistake. You’d have known to stay with Naruto until help could arrive. Then again, you’re being with your friends when Kyuubi sent out that chakra is what kept them alive. It’s also what saved Naruto in the end, so was what you did really a mistake?

We are taught early on that the most important aspect of the mission is the mission itself. So, ask yourself what is a mission?”

“It’s a task or assignment, right sensei?”

“You’re partially right. The pieces that make up the mission are the objective, the tools and supplies needed, and the team issued the mission. Without those three components, there is no mission. If you can’t meet the object, the mission fails. If you don’t have the proper tools or supplies to carry out the objective, the mission fails. So if your teammates die and you’re left alone, can you carry out that mission?”

“As much as I would like to say yes, I can’t. It’s a shinobi’s duty to return fallen comrades to the village in order to protect the village secrets. I would also be emotionally compromised and unable to continue the mission.”

“That’s exactly right. On a mission, the most important thing to remember, is to keep your team alive. Accidents and mistakes will always happen on missions, especially ones like what happened today. We had no way of knowing Orochimaru would infiltrate and attack like he did. None of us were properly prepared for that attack, and what’s worse was we couldn’t interfere unless he was detained, or one of you was hurt or killed. 

Your dad might be in charge of organizing these exams, but ultimately, it falls to the council to determine what is or isn’t allowed. And as much as all the kage and other parents wanted so badly to go in there and pull you kids out of that mess, your dad, myself and Minato said to wait. Had we just jumped in and saved the day, the council would have forfeited you all and everything you had accomplished out there would have been for nothing. They would have deemed you nothing more than children and sent you all back to the academy.

What thoughts do you think are going through all our heads right now?”

“You’re all blaming yourselves for not going in. I don’t blame any of you, and I know the others wouldn’t either, especially Naru. We needed to experience the truth of what we face on missions, and the real consequences our choices and actions have. I don’t regret my choice, sensei. Only that I hesitated, I second guessed my decision. I was about to release Orochimaru and go help Naruto even knowing at that moment, it may very well cost me my friends and Naruto.

It was that moment that kyuubi passed me the chakra and I knew I had to complete the mission Naru gave me. To protect our friends. I don’t ever wanna feel that way again, sensei.”

“So then don’t, you have a brain for strategy, but strategy alone doesn’t solve battles. Now that you know to always expect the unexpected, plan for that in your strategy, but also have a few back ups in case you find yourself stuck in a hard spot.

Come on, food’s ready and Kotetsu and Genma came by with the exam results.”

Kakashi and Shikamaru headed back to the main house and joined the others in the formal dinning hall. Normally this room was only used for special occasions, but more people had showed up while they were out so they needed a bigger space.

“Good now that everyone is back, we’ll get this started. First and foremost, Naruto is recovering quickly and the poison is no longer in his system. Tsunade-hime has informed us that Naruto is now back to breathing on his own and is able to sip water. He’s still blind for the time being, but he will recover from that as well in due time.

We ask that you all please wait for visitation until Naruto is awake and more alert. Shizune said she would let everyone know when it was good to visit. If any of you have gifts that you wish to leave for Naruto, Yoshino-san has agreed to keep them put away in Naruto’s room until he wakes up. Just leave your information so that we can let him know who brought what. 

Kotetsu, Genma and Iruka have all brought news of the exam results. Gentlemen if you please.”

“Kotetsu and Genma wanted to prank all of you but I felt we’ve had enough excitement today. I was completely shocked when the council gave me the results, and to be frank, I think the rest of you will be as well. This is the compromise we came up with. I will call four names first, those that i call will step forward and accept a bag from Kotetsu. Then I will call the other four and you will get your bag from Genma. And before you all get upset, yes Naruto passed. His bag is waiting for him at the hospital. Once all eight names have been called you will follow Kotetsu and Genma to separate rooms. Once in those rooms, you will put on what’s in those bags.

Don’t worry ladies, Yoshino will direct you to a different room to change in. Once you have your uniforms on, you’ll return here to announce the results to your family and friends. Congratulations Konoha Rookie 9. 

Nara Shikamaru, Hyuuga Neji, Uchiha Sasuke, Aburame Shino. Step up and collect your bags from Kotetsu.

Inuzuka Kiba, Hyuuga Hinata, Akamichi Choji, and last but not least, Yamanaka Ino. Step up and collect your bags from Genma.

And please everyone, put on everything in those bags.”

They all looked at each other with smiles on their faces, and tears in their eyes. They made it! They exchanged a quick round of hugs and went in their separate rooms to change. When Shikamaru opened his bag, on top set a letter from his father.

Son,

As a jonin commander and a teacher, it is with great pride and joy that I give you this flack jacket. It was the one presented to me by Lord Third when I passed the jonin exams. Yes you read this right. Congratulations son, you are now the second youngest jonin shinobi in Konoha. Naru-chan beat you out of the youngest title by half a year. 

As your father, Shikamaru I have never been more proud of you nor have I ever been more scared in my life. I don’t doubt your skill or ability, nor do I question your leadership. You proved not only to me, but to everyone how capable you are. No matter how strong or capable you are, please remember you are also your mother and mine’s only child. You are the future heir to this clan. Be careful when you’re on missions, or Sage forbid, on the battlefield. 

Put on the uniform you work so hard for, and then put on the mask. You, Kiba, Sasuke and Naruto were chosen specifically to join the elite ANBU Black Ops. Before you rejoin the main group, you will be taken to meet with Itachi to receive your training schedule. No one must ever know your identity behind the mask as long as you remain ANBU. This is to protect not only yourself, but your friends and the clan.

I’m proud of you son. 

Dad

Shikamaru quickly dried his eyes and sat the note back in the bed before anyone could see him cry. He pulled out the black undershirt and pants and put them on. His father’s flack jacket had been resized to fit him, but it would be adjustable as he grew. He tied his hitai-ate around his neck, and slipped back into his sandals. The last thing he pulled from his bag was a black porcelain mask. Two green marks adorned the cheeks of the mask, and on the inside it was marked with his codename: Raccoon

He pulled the mask down over his face, attached the new tool pouch he found with his sandals, and wrapped his bandages around his thigh. Fully dressed, he walked out to find Itachi and someone else wearing a Hawk mask. That had to be Sasuke.

Behind him, another masked person joined them, this time a jackal mask. Kiba, he thought. They all gathered around Itachi as he spoke.

“From today on, or until you decide you’re ready to leave the ANBU, you will report to me. Raccoon, I am aware that you will be leaving soon for training with your extended clan. A copy of your training schedule has already been dispatched to your relatives and they will be working with you. I was told you would also be traveling the villages and training with different groups as well, this works to your advantage. 

This ANBU team was devised for the purpose of aiding our new allies. While you visit each village, you will be given assignments that will aid in protecting the other villages. Your orders however, will come directly from me. This alliance is new, and we do not fully trust everyone just yet. You are to refuse any order that will put you against a fellow Konoha shinobi. 

Hawk, you are to be stationed in Suna upon completion of your ANBU and clan training. You will be responsible for training their own ANBU agents as well as running security for the Kazekage’s children.

Jackal, you will also be sent to Suna upon completion of your training. You will run missions for the Kage, as well as integrate a ninken system. 

Once he completes his training, Fox will be given a similar task to Raccoon. When you are ready to leave ANBU you will simply return to the village and hand over your mask. You are never to reveal your true identity to anyone outside of this group, unless given permission by myself. I’m sure by now you have already figured out who each of you are, so go ahead and remove your masks.

If you’re not on an active mission, or need to blend in, your mask is to be kept hidden at all times. Jiraiya-sensei will teach you the art of sealing as part of your training. Using this method, you will learn to store your mask as well as your weapons and tools. Any questions?”

“I have one. If we come across other Konoha ANBU, are we allowed to tell them who we are?”

“I will leave that discretion up to you all. If you know the ANBU and trust them completely, then yes it would probably be wise. Any other questions? Then put your masks back in their bags, and return to the others. I will see to it that your masks are sent to your homes. Congratulations to all of you. I had no doubts.”

With that Itachi vanished in a plume of feathers and the three boys grinned at each other.

“Itachi told me the reason behind the four and four. Had Naruto been with us, his name would have been the fourth person to our team. The others will be in regular ANBU, and we have white masks that we’re supposed to wear while we’re in the village on assignment so our teammates can recognize us. The other five will be a team as well with one or two stationed here and the other three out traveling.”

“Makes sense. Also makes sense now why mom and Hana have been drilling dog training into my head. I’ve been personally training Naruto’s ninken with help from Kaka-sensei’s pack.”

“Judging by the looks of your vests, I’m guessing you each got hand me downs too? That one belonged to Itachi I can tell.”

“Yep I got my dad’s. No way in hell was I wearing Hana or mom’s! I’m no kunoichi.”

The three boys laughed as they entered the dining hall with the rest of their friends, this time wearing their white masks. All the extra guests had left, and around the table was nothing but masked figures. One by one, they all removed their masks. Only one man remained masked, in a black mask.

“It’s been so long since I’ve worn this thing it feels strange on my face. The only people that know my identity sits to either side of me. If any of you can guess who I am, I will take you on as an apprentice after you have completed your time as ANBU. My code name is Flame. Who would like to take a guess?”

Shikamaru gave a quick glance around the room to see who was missing. The masked ANBU was covered from head to toe, so there was no way to guess their identity that way. His father, Minato and Kakashi were all missing, so it could be anyone of them. Given the build and height, it ruled out his father. Plus, his father had been Deer in ANBU as a play on his name. That left only Minato.

While he had been deducing his guess, his teammates had all tried.

“Namikaze Minato.”

The room went silent, and every pair of eyes locked onto him. The masked person stood up and lowered their hood, and removed their mask. He was right.

“Well done Tanuki. Remove your masks please, you are with safe company here. How did you know it was me and not Kakashi or Shikaku?”

“Process of elimination really. You’re too tall to be my dad, and your shoulders are broader than Kakashi. Yamanaka-senpai would have been a better switch out since he has the same build as you. The second clue was your mask and code name. I knew my dad’s so again I knew it couldn’t be him. I also know Kakashi’s. So, you were the only one not in the room, that matched what I could see.”

“Well done. When you are in the village, you will be split into three teams as you were before. Your team leaders will be myself, Kakashi, and Itachi. You will also be assigned with Fugaku at the police force from time to time. He is the only shinobi outside of ANBU that is permitted to see you without your mask while on duty. The Hokage already knows who you are, so she can also see you without it, but she will never ask you to remove it unless it’s an emergency.

You have all been given your training assignments from both your families and ANBU. And since you all put on your masks, I’m taking this to mean you accept. Good. Go home, get some sleep. Tomorrow you will all begin your training. Dismissed.”


	15. Bonus Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Big time skip! Brief trigger warnings for this bonus chapter! Mention's of rape/non con with a minor. The boys come home, big reunion party, Shika is a big boy now, and a new home! Also there is mentions of what would be considered underaged drinking in most countries, but since this is fiction that is based on fiction, i can make the legal age whatever I want. At 17 boys and girls are able to serve in the military so they should be legal to drink or smoke.

Homecoming: ShikaNaru

Konoha Village West Gate 

“Welcome back, Shikamaru. Been a long time, kid.”

Shikamaru smirked and nearly tackled the familiar faces of the gate guards.

“Damn it’s been way too long! You two haven’t changed at all it seems, ne Kotetsu-san”

“Oi! When did you start calling me san! I’m not that old you brat!”

“Stop baiting him Shika. You’ve changed that’s for sure. Hell of a lot taller than when you left out of here.”

“Come on Izu it’s been a few days since I last teased him. Yeah I might be around the same height as Asuma now. Have the others come back yet?”

“Some have, the Yamanaka heiress, the Hyuuga brats, and Aburame returned a few years ago. Uchiha is still in Suna, rumor has it he’s with the jinchuriki there. Akimichi is still in Kumo, engaged to one of their shinobi. They’re trying to get joint citizenship between the two villages.”

“Yeah, he told me about that in a letter a few months back. And I just left Suna, they are together. Gaara was just named the next Kazekage. Heard anything from Naru?”

“Not since last spring. Last word we got from them, they were near Amegakure. He and Nagato were out searching for surviving Uzumaki clan members. His last letter to his dad said he’d be returning home any day now. I wouldn't be surprised if he shows up later today. Did he not write to you?”

“Not really. We decided we wouldn’t give each other any clues as to where we were or what we were doing training wise. Well I’ll catch up with you guys later. That treck across the dessert was brutal. See ya!”

“Yoshino is going to trip over him smoking.”

“Naruto might kill him. Oh well not our problem.”

Shikamaru snickered and hoisted his bag a little higher on his shoulder. No sooner did he enter the busy streets of Konoha, he could hear the shadows talking. He quickly sorted through them until he found his former senseis and his father. They were at the dango shop just around the corner from him. A devious smirk that would make Naruto proud, and Shikamaru stepped into the shadows and disappeared.

Minato was laying face down on the table whining about Naruto still not being home, Kakashi was buried in a smut book, Asuma was chewing his unlit cigarette, his dad was engaged in shogi with Itachi and Iruka looked barely awake. Heh Kakashi it was then.

Keeping hidden in the shadow of the table, Shikamaru grabbed hold of Kakashi’s shadow by the ankle and pulled the man under the table.

“What the hell?! Kakashi what are you doing?”

“Why are you asking me, Iruka-chan? Ask the floor.”

“Awe Kaka-sensei you don’t even recognize your own student?”

Everyone shot up as Shikamaru phased up through the table before returning to his solid state in a sitting position atop the table.

“Hey guys. Been a little while, huh?”

“SHIKA!!!!”

He laughed as he was hugged and patted on his back. Cheers and tears were spread around the shop, and Shika knew he was finally home. 

“Welcome home son. How was Suna?”

“Hot, dry and so much better than four years ago. Gaara’s really done a lot to rebuild that village. It was good to see Kiba and Akamaru again. That pup got huge! Can’t believe Kaka-sensei and Lord Dingbat have a fan club there. I spit beer all over a poster when I was out having drinks with Kankuro and Kiba.”

“Oh Sage no! They still have those up?”

“Awe but you were so cute in them Kashi..”

“Chidori..”

“Not that again! Take it to the training grounds you two! I don’t want to see your foreplay.”

The riotous laughter for once didn’t make Shikamaru want to roll his eyes. He missed his extended family. Shikamaru felt a pull and he froze, tuning out the noise he listened to the shadows before jumping to his feet.

“Naruto’s home!”

“How can you.. Hey! Shikamaru!”

Shika didn’t slow down to explain, he had to see the blonde again. He spread his shadows out across the town, looking for Naruto’s. Not finding him in the village, he expanded further past the gates.

“Where is he Shika?”

“Main gate, and moving fast. You taught him the flying raijin?”

“Tried but he wasn’t fond of it. He’s probably with Kyo.”

The two kept pace, practically flying through the village. They stopped just shy of the gate, and just a few feet away stood Naruto. He was taller, broader. His hair was much longer, almost as long as Shikamaru’s. His tan was darker, and it seemed his eyes had lost their innocence. What had the boy seen that would take that sparkle from his eyes?

“Hey dad, Shika. I’m home..Oof!”

Shikamaru tackled the blonde to the ground, his lips locked on Naruto’s.

“I missed you so much Naru. Don’t ever make me leave you again, ya hear me?”

“Yeah, I hear you. I missed you too Shika. I have so much to tell you! Hell even more to show you! Hey, you got bigger Shika! Your hair’s longer too, Kinda like the goatee.”

“Um please remember I am standing right here, as is half the village.”

“Dad!”

Shikamaru laughed and let Naruto escape him, for now. 

“I’m so glad to see you okay! I didn’t mean to, I swear!”

“Naruto, calm down. I’m completely fine. So is Jiraiya in case you were wondering. He’s at the tower trying to convince Tsunade to retire and run away with him again. More importantly, how did you do that with the rasengan?”

“Oh that’s easy! I changed the nature of it. I infused it with nature chakra and my wind chakra. It took me months to get it right. I have to do it in sage mode though, otherwise my chakra burns out too fast. Scared the crap out of Yamato a few times.”

“Well color me impressed. Can you only do it with the wind?”

“Dunno, I haven’t tried ya know? Killer A taught me how to use lightning but I’m still learning how to switch natures without hurting myself.. Hehe.”

“Trying to catch up to me in number of jutsu’s kiddo?”

“Kakashi-sensei! Hey you stopped wearing the mask? Good for you. Oh! I brought presents for everyone, but before we get to that can I get something to eat? Just left Myoboku and two years of bugs and plants got old quickly.”

“I could eat myself, I traveled straight here from Suna. I need food, shower and sleep.”

“You were in Suna? For how long?”

“This time? Ugh not sure exactly. I think a year and a half? I lost track of time.”

“Oh that’s how we missed each other then. I stopped in to see Gaara and Sasuke a few years back but had just missed them.”

“Ah yeah, they were in the Land of Stone. Mikoto-san and mom kept me updated on our teammates”

“Hey you two, any thoughts of what you want to eat? Or are you just gonna eat each other?”

“Sensei!?!”

“Really Kakashi, that was crass even for you. So what’s for lunch?”

Naruto and Shikamaru looked at each other then back at Minato.

“Honestly sensei, I’d kill for a home cooked meal. I’m pretty sure the mom brigade is already back at the estate preparing a feast, as well as a welcome home party.”

“You know your mother well Shika. But the party isn’t just for your homecoming.”

“Huh? What else is it for?”

“Holy crap! Shika it’s your birthday!”

“You sure?”

“Yes you dummy! Dad, did a toad show up recently with my stuff?”

“He did. Interesting choice of luggage.”

“He lost a bet. Gamatatsu should be coming in a few more days with the rest of it. Anyway, where did you put it?”

“That’s a surprise for you two, but I believe the particular box you want, Is back at the main estate under Yoshino’s protection.”

“Haha Shikaku-senpai did you try to peek inside? Yours is in the other boxes...Somewhere. I gotta go ahead Shika. No shadow stepping either to beat me! Don’t think I didn’t notice your shadows at the gate.”

Naruto disappeared and Shikamaru just smiled. He’d let Naruto think he got a head start before he decided to catch up to him.

“Let him have a bit more time. You know how your mom is.”

“Dad… It’s been long enough. I think I’ve been pretty fair. I know how much everyone else missed him, but I didn’t even get a letter to let me know he was alive for almost twelve years. I just want him to myself for five minutes before I have to share him again. So please..”

“He has a point Shi. Let the boys have a moment of peace before everything goes to chaos later. Besides, out of all of us Yoshino spoke the most with Naruto. She can spare him a little time with Shika. Let me warn you now Shikamaru, nothing too serious until after his birthday or you will be missing body parts.”

Shikamaru swallowed audibly, and almost covered himself from Minato’s sickly sweet and misleading smile.

“Hadn’t crossed my mind, sensei.”

“Good, then no worries. Go after him, he’s almost to the creek bed.”

Shikamaru took to the shadows and sensed out where his blonde was hiding. Hiding? He smiled, no Naruto was waiting in their cave. Shikamaru emerged behind Naruto and wrapped his arms around the blonde, burying his face in the long, wild hair.

“It’s gotten so long. Probably should get it cut again.”

“If you want to. I don’t mind it, but maybe not too short?”  
“Yeah okay. I don’t like it being all that short anyway.”

“So what’s this present you got so excited about?”

“I hid it in your room. It’s for you to open later. I know we’ve been apart for so long, but I have to ask for a little bit more time. Not for us to do things like this, I don’t mean…”

“Naru, it’s okay. I hadn’t planned for anything like that until after your birthday at least. And even then, if you’re not ready, we’ll wait until you are. You’re acting like you're scared of something. Can you talk about it?”

“Not yet, I promise I will, but I can’t ruin your birthday. We’ll talk about it after all the excitement of being home calms down. For now, I just want to share some time alone with you.”

Shikamaru pulled Naruto closer to him, and rested his head on the blonde’s shoulder breathing in the smell of rain and sunshine. His training nearly killed him several times, and for a short time, he had lost himself to the darkness of the shadows. It was the hope of seeing Naruto’s smile again that brought him back from the brink.

“I don’t know what happened to you out there, Naru. I do know that you’re the only reason I can be here right now. The only reason I came back at all. When I was training… I couldn’t sleep for the first few years. I pushed myself beyond all my limits, and the shadows pulled me in. I don’t remember much from it, except the pain and fear. 

I was afraid that if I gave in to the shadows, I’d never see you again. To me losing you is a fate worse than death, and I couldn’t do it. When I woke up, I couldn’t remember anything. Every memory I had was just… Gone. It took a few years to get everything back, but the first memory I got back was you. 

So nothing you could tell me will ever make me stop loving you, Naru. The only thing I could never forgive you for, would be losing you forever.”

Naruto sniffled and tried to dry his face before Shikamaru could turn him around. He gave a sad smile and huffed.

“You’re still taller than me. How’s that fair?”

“You fit perfectly with me. That’s all that matters.”

“Stop making me cry Shika.”

“But you’re so cute when you cry. You make me want to tease you.”

“Mean! Ack don’t do that! You know I’m ticklish.”  
“As much as I don’t want to, we have a party to get to. Last thing we need is a nagging mom lecturing us about socializing.”

“I don’t mind it so much, but I’m not staying long. I need some sleep and I want to spend time with dad. I nearly lost him and Pervy Sage at the beginning of my training.”

“I heard about that, what happened though?”

“I was in Uzushio with them, learning how to use taijutsu and ninjutsu without being able to see. Things were going fine, but I messed up my rasengan. It exploded when I was trying to push it through a tree. I didn’t get hurt badly, but for some reason, the explosion terrified me so much it brought Kurama’s chakra out in full force… I.. I rampaged.

I don’t remember what happened after I blacked out and Kurama took over, and no one will tell me. I just know Dad and Pervy Sage were in the hospital for a long time. Yamato and Tachi took over training me after that. Tachi used his sharingan and I was able to see again under his genjutsu. We trained in it for several months while Kurama healed my eyes and Dad and Pervy Sage recovered. 

Once they were able to come back, they taught me about chakra nature, how to do a change of nature and so on. We stayed in Uzushio until I was 10, then we went to Amegakure and I met Nagato-kun. He taught me the history of my mom’s clan. We… We started working on fuuinjutsu when the akatsuki attacked.”

“Naru, look at me. If you aren’t ready to share that yet you don’t have to.”

“I need to. I think it might help. They tried to take Kurama from me.. When they got the seal off and nothing happened… The masked guy, Obito, got really mad. Started randomly killing people to make me lose control. I did, just not the way he expected. I blasted him with a rasengan, and in the chaos of the explosion, I got separated from the others. He found me and he.. It hurt so much Shika… I screamed and tried to fight him off me.. I don’t remember much.. Just bits and pieces. For some reason, I could sense you. I could feel your shadows, and I felt safe. 

I let go of reality and slipped into the darkness. When I woke up, it had been six months since the attack and I was in a hospital in Amegakure with weird seals all over my body.”

Shikamaru tightened his arms, and sobbed into Naruto’s neck. 

“I thought those were nightmares, that I had imagined them. For months I tore the countryside apart trying to find you, sent messages to everyone, begging them to tell me where you were. No one would tell me anything.”

“Shika, I’m okay now. I have nightmares about it sometimes, but I can usually go right back to sleep after. Now that I’m back home, I can talk to someone about it. Now, let’s head back and get some food. I wanna see how everyone else is doing!”

“Alright alright, damn you’re hyper today. Wanna see the shadows? Strangely I think they like you.”

“Yeah! Why is that strange?! Meanie..”

“Come on, you know I didn’t mean anything by it. Take my hand and make sure you don’t let go, we can have some real fun with this.”

Shikamaru took Naruto’s hand and they stepped into the shadows. He kept his eyes on Naruto, who giggled as the shadows swirled around him. After letting the shadows play for a bit, Shika led them in the direction he could feel the mass of shadows around his home. 

It looked like the entire village had showed up for the party, and the guards were all on high alert. He could feel the deer along the forest line, and they were restless. There hadn’t been this many people on the property for a long time. He signaled for Naruto to keep quiet and the blonde nodded, covering his smile and snorting a laugh.

They crept up to where Yoshino and the other moms were gathered around the huge display of food. Itachi was trying to help them get set up but was about to give up and walk away. Perfect target. A quick series of hand movements, and the two popped up right in front of the moms and snagged Itachi before dropping back into the shadows.

“Sage! Shikamaru Nara, are you trying to give me a heart attack!”

“Maa he did the same thing to me at the dango shop earlier. He’s turned into a real brat.”

“Oh let the boys have their fun. It’s nice to see Itachi acting his age for a change.”

Itachi popped back up behind his mother, and Shikamaru and Naruto appeared next to Kakashi.

“Oh my goodness, Itachi! What did those boys do to you?”

“Naruto decided I looked ‘too neat’ and needed some help.”

“Hehe. You look more human now Tachi-ni! Besides, with Sasuke in Suna, who else am I supposed to tease?”

“When did you two get here?”

“Seriously Kashi? You’re getting senile in your old age. We’ve been here the whole time.”  
Kakashi blinked a few times then narrowed his visible eye at the two boys.

“I’ll give you until the count of five to run. One.”

“Gah! Save me Shika!”

“Nah, you called him old. You’re on your own now.”

“Meanie! Baa-chan! Save me from Kashi!”

“Why didn’t you come see me when you got back brat? I’ll hold him down.”

Kakashi caught up to Naruto and Tsunade held him in a headlock while the older man tickled Naruto mercilessly. The blonde’s melodic laughter filled the crowd with warmth. It had been far too long since they had heard the boy truly laugh.

“Okay okay! I’m sorry Kashi-sensei! Sorry Baa-chan!”

Tsunade smirked and let him go only to be plucked off the ground in a strong hug. She smiled and closed her arms around Naruto to return the hug.

“I missed you too, brat. No more going off the grid for years, yeah? I was not happy to hear you wanted more time before coming home. You and Shika-kun stayed away too long.”

“I know Baa-chan, I’m sorry. There was a lot I needed to do before I was ready to come home. Main thing I had to do was get better control over Kyuubi's chakra. I didn’t want to risk losing control and hurting the village. After I hurt dad and Pervy Sage, I was too scared to be around everyone else.”

“Naruto, you can’t blame yourself for what happened out there. We all knew the risks that came with training you before you could see again. None of what happened that day is your fault. And your dad and Jiraiya, neither of them blame you or Kyuubi for what happened. They shouldn’t have pushed you so hard. If anyone is to blame for that day it’s those two.”

“It kinda is my fault though. I told them to push me, I didn’t want to fall behind just because I couldn’t see.”

“Stop arguing with me. It wasn’t your fault. Now go tell your boy happy birthday.”

Naruto rolled his eyes with a small smile, then wandered over to Shikamaru’s side. Wrapping his arms around Shikamaru’s neck, he pulled the older boy down and kissed him. They could hear the catcalls and wolf whistles, making them both laugh into the kiss.

“Happy Birthday Shika.”  
“Thanks Naru. When can I have my present?”

“You can’t open it until tonight. You have a huge pile of gifts on that table over there. Open all those instead.”

Shikamaru tries to pout but he just can’t help but smile at the blonde. He stole another kiss from Naruto, then tugged the blonde into his lap and laughed as his face burned bright red. Naruto laughed and put an arm around Shikamaru’s neck and shoulders. He was a little embarrassed to be the center of attention but he ignored it, it felt good to be with Shika again after so many years.

Shikamaru opened his gifts, some he would have to keep out of reach of Naruto, and thanked everyone for their thoughtfulness. He kept up conversation with the people around him, laughing at the dumb jokes Minato told. 

The party kept going well into the night, and it wasn’t until Minato was waking him and Naruto up, that they realized it was finally over.

“Come on you two, Shikaku and I have something to show you.”

Shikamaru stood up and moved Naruto to his back, then followed his dad and the older blonde. They walked for a little while before they came across a very familiar clearing in the forest. A little ways from the rock formation that held their cave, was a small cottage. 

“Yamato came out and gave us a hand building this thing. It’s nothing big or fancy, but it will give you some privacy. We ask that you still join us for meals and what not, but for the most part, this is your place now. You have the basics, we left moving personal stuff to you two.”

“We also have rules. Shika, you’re 17 now, but Naruto is still only 16. I won’t sugarcoat this because you’re not children anymore. No sex until Naruto is 17. I mean it, and trust me when I say, I will know. You’re both old enough to drink, but please be responsible. Also, no parties unless they’re approved through the clan and security. Today was a special occasion, and we had been planning for it for months.”

“Last thing we want is to overwhelm the deer too much. Also wanted to let you know, Naruto, we moved the shrine for your mom back when that bad storm hit. It’s safe don’t worry. Thanks to the cave, we discovered a cavern that sits right under the cottage. We set up the stuff you had out here, and Yoshino left a few other things for you to add if you want.”

“Oh oh! Can we go look inside?! Please please please, Shika?!”

“Oh now you’re awake huh? Yeah we can go see it. We’ll start moving in tomorrow though, I’m too tired to do it tonight.”

Shikamaru trudged his way over to the cottage and sat Naruto down on his feet. They took off their shoes, and entered the front door. The cottage was small, but cozy and perfect for the two of them. There was a decent sized kitchen with a bar where they could have meals together, a living room with a large open fireplace and an overstuffed sofa. The bedroom and bathroom are a loft space that one could access via a small staircase to the back of the living room. It was perfect.

Built into the hardwood floor, was a trap door that opened to a set of wooden steps leading down under the house. Naruto followed the steps down with Shikamaru right behind him. Surprisingly enough, the cavern was well lit with oil lanterns. Off to the side, there was a wooden shrine cabinet with the picture of Kushina smiling in the center. On either side of the photo, there were holders for the incense, some candles and an offering tray.

“Please tell Yoshi-san thank you.. I’ll give her a hug when I see her tomorrow..”

Naruto carefully ran his hands over the cabinet, soft tears forming at the corners of his eyes. He opened a pouch that was strapped to his upper arm, and pulled out a string of shells and beads that had a pearl attached to the middle. Gently, he placed the string around the photo. A soft nudge to his side, Shikamaru was handing him two incense sticks. They were placed into the holders and lit.

The strong fragrance of sandalwood and pine filled the cavern. All four men present closed their eyes and said whatever they needed to say. Naruto opened his eyes with a smile and turned around to head back up the stairs.

“I think she likes it better in here, she’ll be closer to us. Let’s go get cleaned up and get some sleep. We have to get our stuff moved in, then we’re supposed to meet up with the others.”

“ Yep, plus we have a meeting with Tachi. We’re supposed to be deciding if we want to stay with ANBU or leave it.”

“I still need time to think about it honestly. I spent more time on training and wasn’t able to focus on many of the missions I was given. Feel like I didn’t do enough to be counted.”

“Yeah, I feel the same way. Let’s get going.”


	16. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so i kinda got another chapter ready early, so here ya go! Some deep angst, fluffy feels, and ShikaNaru happy time!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to follow the time skip from the bonus chapter. It was too much of a head ache trying to jump back and forth for all the training groups and what not. Instead, their training will be explained through flash backs and conversations. We're getting close to the good stuff, but also the not so good stuff. No spoilers yet! Keep reading, and I'll see you next episode!

Chapter 13

Konoha Village

Shikamaru took a moment to get his bearings straight after waking up. He felt a warm comforting weight at his side and on his chest that he hadn’t felt in over a decade. He rolled over to face the blonde and buried his nose in the soft hair. He’d missed the smell of sunshine and rain more than he realized. 

Naruto mumbled something in his sleep and pulled closer to Shikamaru, burying his face against the Nara’s chest. Shikamaru rubbed circles in Naruto’s back and kissed the top of his blonde fluffy head.

“Wake up sunshine. We have a busy day, so if you want to eat before we get started then you need to get up now. Smells like mom made pancakes.”

“Nooo, I’m warm and comfy. Don’t wanna get up yet.”

“Naru, as tempting as it is for us to just lay around all day, we have to at least get moved into our new place. We can put off seeing Itachi until tomorrow, but we can’t avoid it much longer.”

“Fine fine, but you owe me cuddles later. I promised my dad I’d have lunch with him and Pervy Sage today too, I can’t just back out of that. Shower first?”

“You go ahead, I’ll go down and start some tea for us.”

“You don’t want to join me?”

“Naru, I promised your dad I wouldn’t..”

“Who said we had to do anything but take a shower?”

“Idiot, you think I can keep my hands to myself when I have you naked and wet in the shower?”

“Okay okay, that’s fair I guess. Dad didn’t say anything about hands tho, he just said no sex. But if you’d rather take care of that by yourself later then…”

Naruto smirked as he jumped up, letting the covers fall and revealing his tone, tan, naked body. He caught the flash of hunger in Shikamaru’s eyes and yelped. Shikamaru chased Naruto into the bathroom, slamming the door behind them.

After a 45 minute shower, they still needed to clean up after all, they were fully dressed and headed out to the main house. In the kitchen, they joined their parents for breakfast. Kakashi noticed a faint blush on both boy’s cheeks and smirked. He would keep quiet until he could get them alone, then he was teasing them. Thankfully, Minato broke the awkward silence before he could figure out the source of it.

“Do you boys need help moving today? I’m having lunch with Naruto since I have to leave for Kumo soon after. They requested a representative from Konoha to be a witness to Choji signing the paperwork for his joint citizenship. He and his fiance will be coming back to Konoha after that so she can do the same here.”

“Oh yeah! Have you guys met her yet? She’s as strong as Baa-chan and kinda reminded me of Yoshi-san. Really protective and has a bad temper when someone messes with the people she cares about.”

“Good save Naru-chan. I’d love to meet her, Reina sings the girl’s praises. And for the Akimichi clan elders to accept her, she has to be something special.”

“I hear she keeps Choji in line, which is good. I was worried about him when I left. As for help with the move, yes please. I love my parents and all our friends, but it will be nice to have a place to ourselves. I plan to leave some stuff here, that way I won’t have to run back and forth. Should probably leave some of Naru’s things here and the cabin too.”

“Yep, I am looking forward to the peace and quiet, but I don’t wanna leave completely ya know?”

After breakfast, Minato, Kakashi and Shikaku helped the boys pack and move what they wanted to take to their cottage. Naruto and Yoshino stayed at the cottage to unpack and arrange everything, trying to bring some life into the blank house.

“Yoshi-san, can you help me get a garden going? I have so many plants in here, probably time to get them in the ground before winter comes.”

“Sure! I can get Yamanaka-san to come help too, she’s the true green thumb in the group. Oh, where’s Kyo and your ninken?”

“Ah! Kyo is still traveling right now. He’s with Nagato and Konan. My ninken is with Kakashi’s pack out back. Said he wanted to spend time with the pack for a while. I was actually thinking of going to see Tsume-san about getting another ninken. Dogs are pack animals so they thrive better with other dogs, and even though he and Kyo get along, it’s not the same. I thought if he had another dog around, then he wouldn’t feel left out.”

“You think you’re ready for a whole pack? One ninken and a summons is a lot already.”

“Honestly, when it was just the three of us, it was kind of lonely. I think one or two more would be enough. I don’t mind the extra responsibility, I enjoy taking care of them.”

“Then I think you should do it. We can get Shikaku to build you a kennel out here so you can keep them close by. Oh my, it’s just about time for lunch. You go get cleaned up, I’ll let Minato know to do the same if he hasn’t already.”

“Thanks Yoshi-san! I’ll see you later!”

Naruto stumbled up the stairs, and Yoshino shook her head and chuckled. No matter how much they grow, some things never change. For that, she was grateful. Yoshino caught Minato with Kakashi in the kitchen.

“Minato, I just sent Naru-chan to get cleaned up for lunch. I hope you’re taking Kashi with you.”

“Eh no, that’s okay. They haven’t seen each other…”

“Hatake Kakashi if you finish that sentence I will castrate you with a rusty spoon. Minato is his biological father, but you have been with Naruto and helped raise him just as much.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell him. Naruto will be upset if Kakashi doesn’t join us.”

“Why would Kashi-sensei not come? Did..Did I do something bad?”

“Naruto, no! I just thought you would want to spend the time with your dad before he leaves.”

“Are you going with him to Kumo?”

“Well no, but..”

“Then, do you not want to spend time with him too?”

“Of course that’s not it. I just thought..”

“Well stop thinking you dope, before you hurt yourself. You’re part of this family too ya know? Mom would beat you over the head with a spoon if she heard you talking that way. What’s for lunch?”

Everyone just stared at Naruto, who had no idea how right he was about Kushina. 

“How about we get Ichiraku’s. I’ll miss it while I’m gone.”

“Sounds good! I want miso with pork, a double portion! I’m starving. Oh! I also need Kakashi to take me to see Tsume-san later! Shiro needs a friend or two.”

Kakashi’s eyebrow rose at this.

“Starting your own pack, Naruto? I don’t mind Tsume’s dogs, they’re all well trained, but are you sure you don’t want to check through some of the dogs I have back at the Hatake property?”

“Really?! I didn’t know you had more! I wanna go see!”

“Yes I have more. My family was well known for our ninken and summons. We bred and trained them ourselves. Plus, Shiro has littermates out there. I’m sure he’d love to see them.”

“Oh I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe I could keep him out there with his siblings instead of at the compound.”

“Nah, there’s a reason I chose Shiro for you. He prefers his solitude from time to time, and would rather be in your lap than piled up with his siblings. I do think a partner would be good for him though. What were you feeding him anyway? He was the runt of the litter but now he’s huge! Easily the size of Tsume’s wolf.”

“Oh he got like that at Mt Myoboku. Pa said it was all the natural chakra he was exposed to. Apparently animals can pull in natural chakra better than we can. That and he really likes raw veggies, fish and fruit.”

“Well I’m impressed. You’re a natural with the ninken. I’ll take you and Shiro out to the property after you’ve met with Itachi.”

“Ugh do I really have to?”

“You still haven’t decided what you want to do yet?”

“It’s not that, I just.. Because of everything that happened in my training, I didn’t complete most of my missions. I don’t feel right about turning in my mask, but I don’t know that I want to stay in ANBU. I don’t think it’s the right fit for me, ya know?”

“Minato, you want this one?”

“Actually, yes. Naruto, the missions you were doing while you were training aren’t the usual missions you would be on. You know by now what kind of missions ANBU normally gets assigned?”

“Yeah, usually escort duty of high priority people like the Daimyo. Assassinations, espionage and the like. I don’t like killing, but I do understand that sometimes it has to be done. Mizukage-sama said I was good with espionage, and Killer A said I was a great bodyguard. I liked those missions, and the compliments made me happy. When the Tsuechikage told me I was an excellent assassin…. It made me feel sick.”

“In all my years with ANBU I never met an agent that enjoyed the killing. The few we did come across were soon removed from ANBU and placed under surveillance. Itachi knows what kind of personality you have, and he knows what missions would best suit your skills. I can’t say that you won’t ever be sent on assassination missions, it’s part of the job, but I do know he’d never send you after someone you care about.”

“Yeah you’re right. I’ll ask to stay in ANBU for a little while longer. At least for another year or so.”

“Let’s get lunch, then you can go by and see Itachi.”

The three headed over to Ichiraku’s for their lunch. Minato lost to Naruto in an eating contest, complaining that Naruto cheated. Kakashi laughed when Minato squawked at being lifted and carried like a princess, and carried the older blonde off to pack for his mission. Naruto shook his head and wandered the streets of the village.

He knew he needed to go see Itachi, he just wasn’t sure what he would say to the man. On one hand, he wanted to actually finish his time with ANBU before he did turn in his mask, but on the other, he didn’t like what he became when he wore the mask. It made him feel dark, evil even. He had some ways he coped with it, but they didn’t always work. 

He’d been lucky so far, he hadn’t woken up to a nightmare in a few weeks. He was deep in thought and didn’t notice someone approaching him. He felt a large hand on his shoulder, and before he knew what was happening, he screamed and flipped the owner of the hand over and onto the ground with his foot against the person’s neck.

“Naruto, easy now. It’s just Inoichi. I know he’s annoying at times, but do try to not hurt him too badly. Really senpai, you know better than to touch an ANBU without warning.”

“Yeah yeah, I know.”

“Crap, sorry sensei! I.. I didn’t mean to.”

“Naruto, why don’t we go into Inoichi’s office and talk before we get to your term with ANBU. And please don’t try saying your fine. I know you far better than that, and I know a little about what you’ve been through during your training.”

“Itachi, ease up on him. Just come to my office, Naru. No pressure to talk about anything, unless it’s something that could be dangerous, then you’ll have to talk about it.”

“Yeah, okay sensei. If there’s anyone else in the room, I won’t talk about it. Only you and Tachi, no one else.”

“That’s a deal. Let’s go, luckily we’re not far from the building.”

Reluctantly, Naruto followed the older men into the building, and down into Inoichi’s office. Once inside, Inoichi sealed the door and the room so no one could come in or hear what was said.

“Now, I’ve read the files from both of the major incidents, and all of your mission reports. I gotta say, you’re handling everything better than some agents I’ve seen that are way older than you. What is it that’s bothering you the most. Let him speak Itachi.”

“I won’t lie, at first it was what happened with Obito. It bothered me a lot, I had nightmares about it for a long time. While I was in Kumo, Killer B and Kyuubi made me face what happened and made me talk about it. That helped a lot, ya know? The nightmares pretty much stopped for the most part. I still get one or two every now and then, but I can usually go right back to sleep afterwards. 

When I lost control of Kyuubi’s chakra… That one still bothers me. I think it’s because I still can’t remember what all happened, and no one will tell me. I know they think they’re protecting me by not telling me, but it only makes it worse. I know what happened wasn’t my fault, but I don’t even know what did happen. I’ve seen the scars on both dad and Pervy Sage, I know they got hurt from it.”

“Would it really help you to know what happened?”

“I think it will, yeah I’ll probably be upset but at least then I can come to terms with it and try to let it go.”

“I visited both Jiraiya-sensei and Minato in the hospital before they woke up. Using my jutsu I was able to see what exactly happened that day.

You were doing fine building up the chakra for the rasengan, both your chakra levels and kyuubi’s were stable and holding. Suddenly you shouted out about an attack coming, then all hell broke loose. As soon as you released the rasengan, an attack from outside hit you and knocked you into the path of your own jutsu. Jiraiya grabbed you and Minato used his own body to deflect the rasengan. When Kyuubi felt the outside attack, he took over to protect you since you couldn’t see, he couldn’t either. He attacked Jiraiya thinking he was the enemy.

It took several minutes for Minato to convince Kyuubi that you were safe, and you collapsed after that.”

“That’s what happened? So then it really wasn’t my fault.”

“Nope. It was no one’s fault. A freak accident that probably could have happened at any point during your training. It’s my understanding you learned how to pull the kyuubi back in situations like that. So it wasn’t all bad. Now what caused what happened outside?”

“Honestly, it was my own fault for that happening. Mizukage-sama called it PTSD. I had been sent out on an intel gathering mission. It was supposed to be simple in and out. Just observe a group of merchants on their way to Kirigakure, that’s all it was supposed to be. While I was watching them, I got hit from behind and knocked out.

When I woke up, I was hanging from the ceiling by a chain. I was stripped down to just my boxers, they even took my mask. I’m so grateful for the training you and Ibiki gave me, as well as the genjutsu training. I was tortured until I blacked out, then they woke me up and used genjutsu on me. This kept going in circles, but I never talked. 

Eventually, I tricked them into thinking I had passed out and I killed all of them because they saw me without my mask. After they were all dead, I took their masks off. They were people that supported the Akatsuki, had those weird cloud tattoos on their faces. I’d seen them in the bingo books, all low rated missing nin from different villages.”

“Why was this not reported to us? Something of this magnitude should have been relayed immediately.”

“Because Kiri didn’t know about it. I wasn’t able to keep track of time, and the genjutsus made it even harder. It felt like I had been there for days, but it had barely been hours. Once I swept the place clean, I left. I managed to catch up with the merchants before they crossed into Kirigakure, then turned in my report. I talked to Mizukage-sama a month later. She was mad that I hadn’t put any of it into my report. All I told her was that I was attacked.”

“Lying to a kage, and on a mission report is grounds for imprisonment. Luckily enough, since you killed the attackers, there’s no one that can speak against you. I want to work with you for a little while, help break through what happened that day. In the meantime, Itachi I would like to have Naruto put on light duty. No missions out of the village unless he has Shikamaru with him.

And yes, you will be telling him about this or I will. He is your ANBU partner and has a right to know if you are compromised. You also live with him, and most people with PTSD are known to become violent or hostile if they get triggered. We’ll start with three times a week you come see me, and we’ll work through everything that happened that day. 

It’s liable to stir up the memories and cause nightmares. If it gets too bad that you can’t eat or sleep, we’ll try something else.”

“I was already planning on telling Shika, things just got so crazy with the party and the move. I’ll talk to him tonight after dinner. It’s not difficult to talk about now, and if anything, I’m more ashamed that they got the drop on me than anything. I was lost in thought when you put your hand on my shoulder and it caught me off guard, but I know that could pose a problem on missions.

Honestly, if it’s possible, can you just put me on missions with Shika or non ANBU missions with dad or Kashi? I honestly don’t want to wear the mask for a while. I think it’s part of my problems.”

“You’re more than welcome to turn in your mask like Shikamaru did. He wants to take over his father’s position as the jonin commander when Shikaku steps down. For now, we’ll put you on standby for regular missions, and put a hold on your ANBU. That will give you some time to work with Inoichi, and think about what you want to do.”

“Thanks Tachi-ni, Inoichi-sensei. I have a lot I need to think about, and I want to talk to Shikamaru about all of it too. Can I ask that you not tell my dad about this until after he gets home? Or Kashi? I want to tell them on my own, but I don’t want to worry them about it right now. Dad has his mission, and Kaka-sensei has his new genin team.”

“As long as you promise to tell them, we won’t interfere. Now get out of here and go find your friends. They all missed you while you were gone.”

“Yeah, I’m off to the shop to see Ino first. Gotta order some fertilizer and stuff since Yoshi-san is gonna help me put in a garden.”

“I doubt you’ll find her there, haha. She’s been spending her free time with that Aburame boy.”

“What? Shino-kun, really? She always said he was weird and his bugs were creepy! No way, this I gotta see!”

“Training grounds six is where we usually spot them this time of day.”

Naruto ran out of the office and made his way to the training grounds.

“You think he’ll be okay? I never figured he’d be cut out for ANBU anyway.”

“I think he’s more than cut out for ANBU which is why I’m worried about him. Minato and I only wanted him to get the experience and get used to the darker side of the shinobi life, before he was thrown into a war he wasn’t prepared for.”

“Are any of us truly prepared for war?”

Naruto hid in a tree and watched Shikamaru doze on a hill in the sun. He knew full well Shika was aware of his presence, had been since they were still babies. But, the older boy was content to pretend Naruto had snuck up on him, and was hiding really well. Naruto jumped down from his perch in the tree, and laid across Shikamaru.

“How’d it go with Tachi?”

“I’m on standby for regular missions, and he put my ANBU on hold for now. Tachi and Inoichi-sensei are worried about me.”

“Because of the thing with Obito?”

“Nah, that doesn’t bother me as much anymore, not since I talked to you about it anyway. No, they’re worried about how I’m handling being in ANBU. I don’t like what it’s turning me into Shika. I get nightmares of the people I killed, I’m jumpy if people touch me when I don’t expect it. Mizukage-sama called it PTSD. I don’t like it, it’s like I don’t have control over my own mind or body. It scares me because I might accidentally hurt you or someone else.”

“I take it, Inoichi wants to work with you on it?

“Yeah, he said for now he wants to do it three times a week.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do. PTSD is serious and can be dangerous if you don’t get help with it. You’re not alone, you have me and all our friends, plus your dad and Kaka-sensei. You’ll have plenty of support, and don’t worry about hurting me. I’m a hell of a lot stronger than you think. I may not have bijuu chakra like you do, but I have my own tricks and secrets. Did they tell you I turned in my mask?”

“Yeah, I’m glad you did. No offense Shika, but you’re not meant for ANBU. That’s a good thing though. Hell, you’d make a damn good advisor to the Alliance commanders, if not their chief strategist.”

“With your diplomatic skills, I could see you as an ambassador for Konoha or even Hokage. If that’s where your interests lie, I would recommend taking on a genin team. Kaka-sensei says his team keeps him on his toes, but it also helps to keep him grounded.”

“Maybe after I see how these sessions with Inoichi-sensei will work. If there’s a possibility bringing all this crap out again can make me worse, I don’t want to put myself in a situation where people can get hurt.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Knowing Inoichi, he’ll probably do the mind reading jutsu and then help you find productive ways to move past it. Whatever happens, don’t keep it bottled up Naru. You can talk to me about anything, and if not me, then someone else. Promise me.”

“I promise, Shika.”

Naruto bent down and kissed him softly, Shikamaru put his hands on Naruto’s hips as if to ground himself. They parted with a gasp, and Naruto’s breath was coming in pants.

“How much longer to my birthday?”

“Just a few weeks babe. I think two maybe two and a half.”

“Think we can sneak around?”

“And have your dad and Kakashi and my mom, kill me? Nope, I love you Naru but nope.”


	17. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> slight warning for hate slang, overload of cute fluff, domestic fluff and kissies!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not condone the use of derogatory words of any kind, but sadly it was needed for the story. Now that the bad stuff is done with, on with the show!

Chapter 14

Naruto was jumping around excitedly as he followed Kakashi down a dirt path to the south east borders of Konoha Village, almost outside the limits. He’d never been to the Hatake estate nor to it’s vast property before. Kakashi rarely spoke about his clan history, and even less about his father. Naruto understood why, he’d heard the story from both his own father, and Jiraiya-sensei. He was hoping to learn more about his teacher on this little trip, as well as add one if not two more ninken to his growing pack.

Shiro huffed a laugh at Naruto’s exuberant behavior, but trotted alongside his summoner without question. His human companion was a strange one, but he understood and cared for Shiro’s needs like a true handler would. He was considering a full contract bond with the boy if the fox would allow it.

“Naru, settle down or you’ll get the dogs riled up. How you have this much energy after a day of packing, moving and training yesterday, I will never know.”

“That would be his Uzumaki blood, Shikamaru. Kushina was so full of vibrant energy, it was often infectious. Even your grandfather was affected by it.”

“I thought he got it from Lord Dingbat. That man bounces from one thing to another like a kid at a festival.”

“Ah, that would be his curious nature. Naruto does get that from him, among some other things.”

“Hey Shika, I’ve always wondered about something… Why do you call my dad Lord Dingbat?”

Kakashi and Shikamaru looked at each other and burst out laughing.

“You can actually thank Minato for that one. When Shikamaru was little, he couldn’t say your dad’s name or Hokage. He’s actually the one that started ‘Fluffy’ that Sasuke still uses. So anyway, your dad had brought you to the main house so you could be introduced to the Nara elders. Shika had overheard Minato actually begging you to be still so he could get you dressed. 

No such luck though, and Minato was about to break down when he looked at you and said, ‘Yes Naruto, daddy is a dingbat, so please help me out here.’ 

Shika has been calling him Lord Dingbat ever since.”

“I have yet to see the clan elders laugh harder than they did that day.”

“Oh.. Oh Sage, tell me you didn’t Shika?!”

“Oh I did, very much so in fact. Right in the middle of your father trying to introduce you to the elders. I think I said, ‘ Dingbat-sama can Naru play now?’ or something like that. I have to credit the man though, he didn’t miss a beat. Just told me not yet and went right back to the elders. I think that’s actually one of the main reasons they respect him so much.

Nothing is as important to the Nara clan, as the future of the clan. The amount of patience he had with me and the kindness he always showed when I was little, really cemented their trust in him.”

“Oh let’s not forget that you addressed him as such once again during a council meeting, and in front of the other Kage.”

Shikamaru had the decency to look apologetic for those ones. Naruto just laughed even harder, until he was forced to kneel or fall over.

“Oh man that’s awesome Shika. So wait, have we literally been together since we were that little?”

“Definitely. The day you were born, Yoshino dragged Shikaku and a barely weeks old Shikamaru to the Hokage mansion. Minato didn’t know the first thing about caring for a newborn, So the clan moms banded together and brought baby supplies, food for the adults, and reinforcements. You were fed, bathed, diapered and dressed, then put in the crib beside Shika. The two of you latched onto each other and if anyone tried to pull you apart, you would both cry. Pretty much been together ever since.”

Shikamaru blushed and tried to hide his face when Naruto cooed about how cute that was. He prayed the ANBU from the tower guard never got the idea to show Naruto the baby album they kept. Then Kakashi had to bring up why they had both been blushing yesterday morning. Neither could look the man in the eye, nor did they say a word.

“I doubt you did more than just fool around so I won’t say anything to Minato, this time. I wouldn't advise going any further than you already have though. My sense of smell is akin to a canine. Minato’s is much stronger than mine, so keep that in mind. Oh look we’re here. Hey Pakkun, Bull. You two, the welcome party?”

“Your late boss. The pups have been going insane since you told them you were bringing someone to play with. Yo, Shiro. Hey Naruto, we missed you yesterday. Usually you come out and see us.”

Yeah, sorry about that Pakkun. Shika and I were busy getting moved in. I brought Shiro with me today so we can hopefully add maybe two more ninken.”

“Starting your pack finally eh? That’s good, normally we wouldn’t trust outsiders here, but you’re already pack to us. Go on back with Bull. We let the younger ones out already.”

“Thanks Pakkun! Come on Shiro!”

“Nara, been a while. How’s that summons of yours these days?”

“Pakkun, it has. Honestly she’s a complete drag. Nags me worse than my mom does.”

“Have you introduced her to Naruto yet?”

“Are you kidding me? She’d adopt Naruto and probably fight Kyo over him.”

“Ahhh noooo! Hahahaha”

“We should probably go see what he’s gotten into now.”

When they entered the gates, the sight that greeted them was photo worthy. Kakashi used his sharingan to record it all. 

Naruto was on the bottom of the largest puppy pile he’d ever seen. What made it better was even the older larger dogs were involved. Currently, the blonde was getting a bath from one of the few female ninken that were on the property today, Kuna. She had belonged to his mother and he never had the heart to take her from the property.

“See what I mean. All women flock to the kid, especially the motherly types.”

“That’s Kuna. Probably the oldest ninken on the property. She mothers everyone, except Asuma. For some reason, ninken don’t seem to like the poor man.”

“It’s because of his smell. The burning ash jutsu leaves a disturbing smell on it’s users. Having fun there pup?”

“Haha help me! Oof oh come on Bull! You’re too heavy for the top! Guys come on let me up! Ahh that tickles! Hey, watch the noses!”

Taking pity on his student, Kakashi whistled and the dogs jumped off Naruto, except for the untrained pups. Kuna barked at them and they whimpered, but backed off. Naruto sat up and scratched behind the old ninken’s ears, receiving a happy growl and a tail wag.

“No offense sensei, but I don’t think I have enough time to really train the pups like they deserve. I also don’t feel right getting someone else to train them for me.”

“That’s smart thinking. This group hasn’t even started the basic behavioral training yet, so they’ll need a lot of dedicated time. Biscuit, can you round up the pups from Shiro’s year and include his littermates.”

“Sure thing boss!”

Naruto watched as a group of about ten dogs were gathered up away from the others. Shiro trotted over to the three at the end and greeted his siblings. One of the dogs stood out the most to Naruto. He could tell by looking, the dog was female, but what caught his attention was her sheer size and coloring.

She was easily the same size as Kyo when he transformed, and solid white with ice blue eyes.

“A wolf hybrid?”

“Good eye. This is Yume, and she is a very unique ninken. She’s actually the offspring of one of my german shepherds crossbred with one of Tsume’s wolves. She has a brother, but they had to be separated. He’s with Tsume and she let me keep Yume. She’s very… Picky about who she interacts with. Let’s see if she likes you first. Yume, come meet Naru-chan.”

Naruto watched in amusement as the large hybrid rolled her eyes and trudged forward. She reminded him of Shikaku on a monday. A thought came to Naruto, and he sat down on the grass and cocked his head to one side. Yume narrowed her eyes and released a warning growl. Kakashi stood close by in case he needed to interfere. Wolf hybrids were different from normal dogs, they needed structure. Naruto would need to establish dominance with her, or she wouldn’t accept him.

Naruto let his keen instincts take over and repositioned himself to his hands and knees and locked eyes with the wolf. He bared his teeth and growled low in response to Yume. Yume snapped her jaws with a snarl and inched closer to Naruto. The blonde let his eyes bleed red and let his chakra out a little more, his responding growl was deeper and carried an authoritative tone.

Before anyone could blink, the two were on each other. Yume attempted to go for Naruto’s throat, but the blonde snarled and grappled the wolf to the ground, pinning her down with his now sharper teeth at her bared throat. It was over before Kakashi or Shikamaru could move.

Yume whimpered in surrender and Naruto backed up, letting Kurama back in. Once his head cleared, he could hear Yume speaking.

“Figures, humans don’t usually know our ways. Foxes are not wolves or dogs, but they are still canine in nature. Very well young Naruto, I will accept you. If you ever become weak, I will not hesitate to claim your pack.”

“That’s fair, but to take my pack means you have to take my responsibility as a jinchuuriki. Kurama is as much a part of my pack as any of us are. Is this okay Kakashi?”

“Why defer to the scarecrow? He doesn’t hold a contract with me, nor does he own me. I might have been born of his summons, but he holds no bond with me.”

“We are on Kakashi’s land. You live and hunt here, therefore you are under his protection. Doesn’t that mean, I need his permission to form a pact with you?”

“Aww Naruto, it warms my heart to see how much my student has learned. Yume will be a handful and you will definitely want to keep her here. Don’t need her eating the deer.”

“As if I would go after a Nara deer. What do you take me for, Hatake, a rabid animal?”

“So mean, Yume-san.”

“I like her! She’s like Shikaku-sensei on Mondays. Plus, now Kyo will have someone to play with. And it looks like Shiro found someone too.”

“Oh, didn’t see that coming. Boss I don’t think the kid should take that one on.”

“Why Pakkun? He looks fine to me.”

“Arashi-kun, believe it or not, was the runt of the litter a year prior to Shiro’s birth. You can’t see it right now because he’s laying down, but Arashi is missing a leg. He was injured in a trap set by illegal hunters.”

“I still don’t see a problem. Can he not move?”

“Oh he’s still one of the fastest ninken we have. He just refuses to go on missions other than running messages and tracking.”

“Okay, so why would that be an issue for me? Kyo and now Yume are perfectly capable of combat if needed. Shiro is my companion and guard when I’m on solo missions. Having a fast ninken would be perfect if I need to call for backup or get out a distress signal.”

“You would seriously take on a ninken with issues?”

“Pakkun, don’t be rude! Everyone has some problems in life, that doesn’t mean we should just throw them away. Besides, he makes Shiro happy. That alone is enough for me.”

Everyone looked at Naruto in shock. Leave it to him to point out the obvious once more. Kakashi’s smirk glowed with pride and affection at his student. 

“Seems reason enough for me. These are the two you want then?”

“Yep! I can’t wait for Kyo to get home and meet them!”

“Who or better yet, what is this Kyo?”

“Oh! Kyo is Naru-chan’s familiar. He’s a kitsune.”

“Oh joy, I get to deal with a hyper human and a devious fox.”

“Well Yume-chan, it could be worse. You could have ended up in Suna with Kiba-kun.”

“Call me chan again, scarecrow and you’ll be the one missing limbs.”

Naruto snorted a laugh at the slightly terrified look on Kakashi’s face. Shikamaru shook his head and ruffled Naruto’s hair before kissing the side of his head.

“As fun and heartwarming as this has all been, we should get going if we want time to relax before the group training session later.”

“Can we eat at home for lunch? I feel like making something I tried when I was traveling.”

“Sounds good to me, but we’ll need to pick up some groceries first. And dishes, pans and the like.”

“That’s fine. I don’t mind shopping as long as someone goes with me. Some of the villagers still don’t like me.”

“You coming Kaka-sensei?”

“Not this time, I have a mission to Suna to prepare for. Hana-chan and I are going out to check on Kiba and Sasuke. He’ll be sad to hear Yume is now taken. I think he was wanting to pair her with Akamaru.”

Yume released a lazy sleepy growl, putting an end to that discussion.

“Yeah, well let him know she accepted my pact so that’s not happening. I should see if Baa-chan will let me visit Gaara and the others soon. I missed out on seeing them last time.”

“I doubt she will for a while, you just got back.”

Naruto shrugged and pulled on Shikamaru’s arm. The older teen rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide his grin. Naruto whistled his goodbye to Shiro, who barked in response. With a backwards wave to Kakashi, the couple headed back to the village.

In the market square, Naruto stepped up to a spice merchant who looked down his nose and frowned at the blonde.

“What do you want? I’ve told you before I don’t want your business here.”

“And I told you before, my money is as good as anyone else's in this village.”

“I don’t serve your kind here, you little faggot!”

The normally loud square was suddenly deathly quiet.

“I’ve heard that word before when I was training in Amegakure, and honestly I still don’t understand what it means.”

“It means you’re sick in the head and like getting fucked by men you filthy deviant! I heard all about how you rolled over and…”

Faster than even Minato could follow, Shikamaru had his kunai pressed to the merchant’s throat and darkness was closing in around the soon to be dead man.

“Finish it, go on, I dare you.”

“Shika that’s enough. He’s not worth the trip to T&I for. You called me sick in the head because I happen to love my best friend? Why is that so wrong, is it because we’re both guys? Love doesn’t discriminate you dumb ass. Do you know how stupid it makes you sound to talk that way? Honestly, you aren’t even worth insulting. Yours isn’t the only spice cart in the market, and in fact there's a merchant from Suna who has a far better selection of fresh spices for better prices than yours. I chose yours because you’re from here and I wanted to support local merchants, but since my ‘faggot’ money isn’t good enough for you, then I’ll take my business elsewhere.

Let’s go Shika, we’ve caused these people enough trouble.”

“Please, Naruto-kun. You haven’t done anything wrong. That horrible man has been causing problems for the market for a while now. Perhaps now that there are witnesses, something can be done about him. You’re welcome to visit my stall anytime!”

“Oh, Nina-san! How’s your new baby doing? I missed our tea date back in Suna because of a mission.”  
“She’s fine now, thanks to the medicine you brought for her. She’s been missing her big brother so you better visit soon. I just got some new spices from our garden, you should take some and let me know how you like them!”

“Naru-chan! When you’re done with Nina-san, please stop by for your bread! We’ve missed your smile back in Ame!”

Shikamaru blinked a few times to try and dispel the genjutsu he had to be in. Naruto was definitely Hokage material. He somehow managed to befriend every single one of the foreign merchants to the point they were practically giving him their wears. 

By the time Naruto had made his rounds with all the market stalls, both teens were loaded down with bags and packages. They looked at each other and laughed on the way home. 

“We should give some of this to your mom, Shika. I’ll give the dried corn to the deer, they deserve a treat every now and then.”

“They’ll be too fat to move by the time winter sets in that’s for sure. I’m sure mom will appreciate the extra food. I know dad will. Let’s take our stuff inside first.”

“Good idea. I wonder if she’ll let me use her big pot..”

“That’s a trick question right? That woman would give you that pot if you asked her for it.”

“That’s just dumb Shika.”

“Wanna bet?”

“What are we betting on boys?”

“Shikaku-sensei!”

“Explain to Naru how spoiled on him mom is. He doesn’t believe me.”

“I’m not getting into this. Need some help with those Naru-chan?”

“I rest my case. Both of them, I swear..”

“Nah, with Shi-kun it’s more like he wants me to make him something, so he’s offering to help so I won’t deny him.”

“Hah! He knows me so well. Actually I’m hoping you’ll run a local mission for me. You should already know about it actually.”

“Let me guess, that asshole merchant in the village? Can I feed him to the deer?”

“Shika! No you can’t do that, it would kill the deer.”

“Well there’s that yes, but no we can’t kill him. Inocihi wants him brought in for interrogation and the bastard tasked me with finding someone to bring him in.”

“Yeah, sure. I’ll gladly drag him in. If Shika does it, the guy will be in pieces. Help us get this food sorted and carry Yoshi-san’s half to the main house, and I’ll go take care of it before we leave for training.”

“You can do it tomorrow, the bastard isn’t going anywhere. Every gate in the village has been told not to let him out. We also have the police force and ANBU patrolling the walls.”

“Thanks Shikaku-sensei. Today is supposed to be our day before training.”

“Oh! We got a message from Kumo this afternoon. Your dad made it in record time. According to Choji, Minato and Killer A got into it as soon as they saw each other. Both are in the hospital still bickering at each other.”

“Pft, Sounds like them. I swear they are worse than me and the Tsuchikage. Yoshi-san can you open the door please?”

“Of course Naru-chan! Oh hello boys, my goodness that’s a lot of food. Naruto you didn’t pay for all this did you?”

“Not even! They were all practically begging him to take that stuff. The Foreign Merchant’s Guild has pretty much adopted him as their ambassador. Don’t be surprised to see him at the next meeting.”

“Shika stop exaggerating, it’s not cute.”

Yoshino giggled and started opening packages and splitting everything between the two houses, since Minato was out on a mission Kakashi had taken to staying in the main house in Shikamaru’s old room.

“Naruto, there’s still so much extra. What should we do with all of this?”

“Can we make care packages for the ANBU barracks?”

“We have enough left over to cover both ANBU and Jonin barracks. You two carry your stuff home and I’ll get started. Oh Reina and Sora brought you some housewarming gifts! I sat them on your counter.”

Naruto thanked the woman and piled their share of the food into Shikamaru’s arms, much to the Nara’s displeasure. They entered their home and Naruto started taking the food from Shikamaru and putting it away. Once they finished with the food, they started opening the gifts.

“Oh this is a nice set! Just like the ones in the Akimichi restaurants.”

“Probably where they came from. Look, dishes and chopsticks too.”

“Probably, aww look Yamanaka-san gave us linens for the house. Oh it’s one of the blankets like sensei has on his office couch.”

“It will be perfect once the cold sets in. You get started on the food, I’ll go change the sheets. These look like they’ll actually fit the bed.”

“The food will take a bit, so I’ll get it started then go over and help your mom.”

“That’s fine, I can get in some shogi with dad before he heads back to the office.”

Naruto goes up on his tiptoes and gives Shikamaru a quick peck before he spins around and starts on the meal. Shikamaru smiles and shakes his head and runs up the stairs to the loft.

“Oh Shika, your mom said if we gather the laundry up she’ll wash it for us so do that after you finish the bed.”

“Yes dear!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone knows how to do formatting on here, please let me know! All my italic stuff just goes to normal font and it's annoying me to no end.


	18. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have those tissues and hankies handy shinobi fans! Angst, tears, feels and finally fluffs!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING!!!! This chapter contains mentions of rape, brutality, and assault of a minor. If any of these things are triggers for you, please I urge you to skip this chapter. If you insist on reading it, please don't do so alone. Find a friend or loved one who can get you through the attack. Also fair warning, the next chapter will contain the same thing, except a bit more graphic. Again, you do not have to continue reading beyond this point.

Chapter 15

Konoha Village 

“Inoichi-sensei! Are you busy right now? I know I’m not scheduled to come in today, but I kinda need to talk to you about something... “

Inoichi rolled his eyes but kept his usual smile in place. Technically he was always busy, but Naruto never sought him out voluntarily, in fact, their first few sessions the older blonde had had to hunt down the teen and drag him into the office. Literally. 

“If you’ll go down the street to Reina’s new food cart and pick up lunch for us, I can spare a few minutes. What did you want to discuss today?”

“Eh… It’s um kinda personal and…”

Naruto’s eyes darted around the room and settled nervously on Inoichi’s assistant. Inoichi noticed Shikamaru standing in the doorway behind Naruto, and nodded at his assistant.

“Better yet, Tadashi-kun, how about you go grab lunch for us and take your break early. We can eat when you get back.”

The shy man stuttered out an affirmation and hurried out the door. Shikamaru herded Naruto into the room and closed the door behind him.

“Have a seat Naruto. Did you want Shika to join us for this?”

“Yeah, this kinda involves him, so he should be here.”

“Naru I told you it’s okay if you want to talk about this alone with senpai. I won’t be offended or upset.”

“Idiot, I want you here! I can’t… I can’t talk about it if you're not.”

“I’m just making sure. Sorry about this senpai. As you can see, Naruto hasn’t slept well the last few days and is a bit on edge.”

“I have noticed, yes. Alright Naruto let’s get started with the usual. This conversation is completely confidential and will not appear in my reports, unless it is something that is a threat to the village or yourself. What ever is said during this session, will go no further than this room nor to anyone outside the current occupants unless you say otherwise. Are you of sound mind and body to consent to any treatment we agree upon today, or do you give permission for Shikamaru to answer on your behalf?”

“I Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto am of sound mind and give permission for any and all treatment agreed upon in this session. I also give permission for Nara Shikamaru to speak on my behalf should I become unable to do so at any time.”

“Alright then, let's start from why you haven’t been sleeping. Has something happened?”

Naruto stared down at his feet and fidgeted with his hands. He really didn’t want to talk about this but Shikamaru wouldn’t let him get out of it. This should be something they dealt with together, not with Inoichi.

“Alright since you won’t talk to him about this, I will. Ever since that day in the market, Naruto has been pulling away from me. He’s never had issues with me so close to him, even before we started seeing each other. I keep asking him if he wants to go back to just being friends but..”

“Dammit Shika! I told you, I can’t go back to being just friends. You mean more to me than that! It wasn’t just that one time either. I’ve been hearing that kind of stuff most of my life from the villagers. First it was about dad and Kakashi, then when we started getting closer even as kids. It was easy to ignore back then because I didn’t understand it.

I understand it now, and I also understand what it can do to your future with your clan, as well as the future of the village! You and the others all keep telling me I should be Hokage one day, but do you honestly think the villagers would follow a gay Hokage? Let alone the other kage?”

“Naruto, Gaara is about to take the title as Kazekage and he’s in a very open relationship with Sasuke! Your dad stayed on as Hokage even after he and Kakashi got together.”

“They kept their relationship private from the village until after he stepped down. As for Gaara, did you not hear of the mob of people exiled from Suna for the attacks on both Gaara and his brother over their relationships?”

“I hate to break this to you Naruto-kun but the relationship between your father and Kakashi was never kept a secret. They just didn’t use public displays of affection to shove it in peoples faces either. That alone though is enough to make a lot of people concerned about same sex relationships. Granted there are no laws in Konoha that prohibit such relationships, but there’s also no laws pertaining to marriage or adoptions among same gender couples. 

It was actually one of the biggest issues your father faced once he stepped down as Hokage. He feared you would be taken from him, which is also why the three of you stayed at the Nara compound. So that you couldn’t be taken from him and Kakashi.”

“You see Shika!”

“I’ve always known about this Naru! I just don’t give a damn what anyone else says. If the village won’t accept us, or let us marry or have kids, then we go somewhere that will. We both have citizenship in a few other countries and villages. We could pick anyone of them. I bet the fucking council would bend over backwards to keep that from happening.”

“Shikamaru, need I remind you to keep a level tone and mind your language? I understand that you’re upset, but taking those frustrations out on Naruto is counterproductive in this case. Naruto, we’ve had over a dozen sessions now for all different reasons. You’ve shared some pretty dark secrets, and in full detail at that. 

Shikamaru has even talked about some of the issues he’s been trying to deal with over the years. You both have spent so much of your time getting stronger, trying to better yourselves so that you can be seen and acknowledged by the village you’ve both sworn to protect. I agree with the others that you should be Hokage. You have the will, the heart, and the power to do it even at such a young age. Let’s not forget how you manage to bring together the merchants and form a union for them.

Or the work you’ve been doing for the alliance. You’ve managed to secure your own allies among the other villages, been the sole reason for several new treaties, and secured a spot on the Allied Forces Council as an ambassador for Konoha. With your position and connections, you could easily rewrite the rules for Konoha, present new rules to the AFC and make it safer and better for other same sex couples.”

“That still doesn’t help with the clan issue though. I know the elders like me and accept me as a part of Shika’s life, but he is the heir to the clan. Eventually he’ll have to get married and produce another heir. Even if I could get the laws changed here, it wouldn’t affect clan laws.

I love Shika so much, but I don’t want to hold him back or be the reason he has to step down. He’s worked so hard and given up so much for me, I won’t let him sacrifice this too.”

“Does it even matter to you what I want? Hell the only reason I’m clan heir is because I’m an only child. Any one of my cousins could take that roll and I wouldn’t care at all. I don’t even want the position. I want the jonin commander position, as well as assistant to the hokage, and chief strategist for the AFC. 

Those are my wants, my goals. The most important thing I want for my life is to be with you. It’s the one constant thing I’ve wanted since as long as I can remember. If you don’t want the same thing, then fine. Come out and say that and stop throwing out useless excuses for reasons we can’t be together. I’m sorry sensei, I need to go cool off before I really start getting mad. Naru, I’m staying at mom and dad’s tonight so don’t wait up for me.”

“Shika…”

Shikamaru flung open the door and disappeared from view. Naruto sat in his chair, tears streaming down his cheeks and his heart shattered into a million pieces.

“You want to tell me the real reason you just shoved that boy away now? And don’t tell me you did it for him, because we both know if that were true you wouldn’t have done it.”

“I overheard the clan elders talking this morning. They said Shikamaru has turned down countless promotions, ideal opportunities in other villages, and even marriage proposals from high ranking clans. All because he didn’t want to leave me behind. When Shika told them he didn’t want to marry some unknown person because he loved me, they asked him how he knew that when all he’s ever known was me.

Neither of us ever dated anyone else, honestly sensei, I’ll bet anything he’s still a virgin. He needs the chance to find what it is he really wants. I want him to see other people, and if he comes back and still wants me, then that’s great. I just don’t want to wind up later on down the line with him wondering what he’s done with his life.”

“Naruto, let me ask you something. How long were you two apart from each other?”

“A long time, too long in fact. Over a decade.”

“And in all that time, how many new people did you meet?”

“Too many to remember them all really.”

“And did you find any of the attractive, or even someone you could have a connection with?”

“I know where you’re going with this sensei, and it won’t work.”

“It won’t work because you’re still lying to yourself. That’s why Shikamaru got so upset and left, Naruto. Not because of what you said, but what you still refuse to admit to both us and yourself. I want you to go home and think hard and carefully about why you’re trying to push the people you love out of your life. Itachi came to me and told me about your request to rejoin ANBU. I denied it. I won’t clear you for active duty until after I feel you’re no longer at risk.”

“What the hell sensei!? I’m not suicidal nor am I homicidal! I have attended every session you’ve scheduled for me, I even answer your stupid questions and openly talk about the issues I’ve been having. I’ve jumped through all your stupid hoops. I haven’t asked for anything from anyone since I’ve been home. Now the one thing I am actually asking for, I get denied. Why?”

“Because you’re trying to bury the rape and pretend like it didn’t affect you. You’ve attacked several of your friends for trying to hug you or even touch you. Shino had to have Tsunade heal his arm after you dislocated during a panic attack. I told you straight up when we started these sessions that if you became a problem, I’d take you off the active roster and you’d be banned from missions until you can pass a psych eval.

You’ve also stopped sleeping all together, not just lack of sleep. I can tell you eat only enough to keep suspicion off yourself and to keep Shikamaru from worrying about you. Consider this an intervention. I haven’t told your father about any of this, and for now, I won’t. I also won’t label you a flight risk, nor will this information leave my office.”

“So long as I cooperate and talk about things I don’t want to remember let alone share with others?”

“That's the gist of it yes. From now on you are to come to my office, not me coming to drag you kicking and screaming. You will instigate our conversations not me, and you will have to willingly and openly share any information without prompting from me. If you skip more than three sessions without a valid excuse from Tsunade, or you don’t willingly participate in the sessions, all bets are off. I will notify Minato of your current mental status and have you labeled as a flight risk and a danger to yourself and others.

And before you say I can’t do that, think again. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to do that and it won't be the last either.”

“FINE! You want to know so badly what happened?! I was raped at barely nine years old, by a man that no one could catch or kill. I cried, I screamed for help and no one fucking came! I was alone and terrified. When he finished with me, he just left me there to die. Cut up, bruised and bleeding out all over the grass. I kept calling out for help. For my dad, for Pervy Sage, Tachi, Yamato, hell anyone and everyone.

It wasn’t until my throat was raw and my voice was too hoarse that I finally felt some semblance of warmth and safety. I could only open one eye, and I heard Kyuubi screaming in me to go into the shadows. So I did, I let go and fell into the shadows. I could feel Shikamaru’s arms around me, I finally felt safe. 

I don’t know what happened after that point, I was unconscious and unresponsive for a long time. You’d have to ask the hospital staff or whoever it was that finally found me. All I remember was Shika holding me, and then I woke up and he wasn’t there. I was covered in all these strange seals and markings that no one else could see, but I couldn’t see Shika. It felt like he had abandoned me, like he didn’t want me anymore because of what happened. I didn’t talk for years after that. To anyone.

I trained, I learned, I even had dad and Pervy Sage write letters to everyone back home so they wouldn’t be worried about me. It wasn’t until we met up with Nagato in Amegakure the first time, that I finally started talking again. Dad and Pervy Sage reluctantly left me there with Nagato and with him, I continued my training and started traveling to other places. 

For a while I had forgotten about what happened to me and everything was fine. My training was progressing faster than anyone anticipated, and Nagato decided I needed a break from it or I would end up burning out. So, we started looking for other surviving Uzumaki members in hopes to reestablish our clan. You know the rest until I got back home.

When I first sensed Shika’s shadows outside the gates, I was afraid. I almost turned around and left. I think the only reason I didn’t was that before I could, he was there. I saw his face and the look of pure happiness in his eyes made me think that had all been a nightmare, but then we met up at the estate for his birthday party and got to talking. It all came back to me in that moment, and I nearly passed out from it. He told me I didn’t have to talk about whatever had happened, but he wanted me to know that I could always tell him anything.

So I kinda told him a rough idea of what happened, and about the shadows, and he broke down. Said he had thought it was a dream and then told me what happened to him. That he had tried to find me but no one would tell him where I was or what had happened. Later that same night, he held me and told me he loved me and that he always would.”

Naruto was in hysterics by the time he finished talking. Inoichi motioned turned off the outside light to signal Shikamaru to come back in now. Shikamaru rushed in and pulled Naruto into his arms, rocking back and forth as he rubbed circles into the blonde’s back. 

“Naruto, let it out. It’s okay, you’re safe now. I’ve got you baby, you’re safe.” 

He kept repeating it over and over like a mantra, never raising his voice above a whisper, and always making sure to maintain skin contact. This continued until Naruto eventually stopped crying.

“I thought you left.. Did you.. Did you hear that?”

“Not a word. Inoichi let me know weeks ago he was going to push you into talking. I was against it at first, but then I realized, you wouldn’t get better if you never talked about the biggest issue. So I agreed to help him. When I went out the door, he flipped a switch to activate the light outside. Normally that light is to let anyone outside know he’s in a session and not to disturb, this time it was my signal for when it was safe to come back in.”

“I figured you would want Shikamaru close by, but you wouldn't talk with him in the room. I hated having to push you so hard Naruto, but I’m not sorry that I did. The hardest part is over now. The wounds have all been reopened and now the healing can begin, whether or not you tell Shikamaru what you told me, is up to you. It will help the healing process if you do share it with him, but you don’t have too. Shika, stop by Tsunade’s office on your way home and pick up the sleeping pills I had her make for Naru. He’s only to take them if he can’t get to sleep and only after all other methods have failed. 

We’ll do this one session at a time, Naruto. If you need to see me outside of session times for any reason, do not hesitate to call or come by. Even if I’m at home, day or night. Promise me?”

“I pro..promise sensei. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. I’m glad you yelled and cried. You needed to get those negative emotions out, they’re toxic to you Naruto. Don’t let them build up that badly again, or one day you really will lose control to kyuubi.”

“Yeah that’s what he said too. Can I go home now? I don’t really feel good.”

“Of course. Take a nice hot soak, eat something then get some sleep. We’ll meet again the day after tomorrow, but if you need me tomorrow, just call on me.”

“Thank you Inoichi-sensei.”

“Don’t thank me yet. That was the hardest part for him, your hell will start once you get home. Keep an eye on him, and don’t leave him alone. Keep him hydrated at the very least, he probably won’t want to eat anything so don’t try to force it.”

“Thanks senpai, I’ll call if I run into anything I can’t handle on my own. Think you can get a message to my mom to make some vitamin protein shakes for Naru? He might not want to eat, but he’ll at least drink a shake. We’ll see you in a couple days.”

Shikamaru adjusted his hold on Naruto and shadow stepped all the way to their cottage, not wanting anyone to see Naruto in his current state. He wouldn’t lie, he was jealous that Naruto couldn’t talk in front of him, but he did understand. There were things he couldn’t bring himself to tell Naruto about. Like how he was still in ANBU and took mostly assassitnation missions. 

Inside the cottage, Shikamaru sat Naruto down on the couch.

“Hey Naru, what do you wanna do first?”

“Shika, kinda hungry but I feel sick to my stomach.”

“We have some left over potato soup from mom. Want me to heat some up for you?”

“Yeah, wait no don’t leave me. I’m sorry Shika..”

“Shh it’s okay. I sense Kakashi outside, are you okay with him coming in to heat up the soup?”  
“No questions, I don’t wanna talk about it anymore..”

“Okay, here’s that blanket you like and put my sweater on. Your fingers are like ice. I’m going right over here to the door to talk to Kakashi, okay?”

“Okay.. Don’t leave though.”

“I won’t love. You can see me the whole time.”

Shikamaru made sure to stay where Naruto could see him, and went to the back door. He opened it in time to see Kakashi’s very worried face.

“Don’t explain, just tell me what needs to be done. I brought the summons with me and they’re going crazy out here.”

“Let them in, Naruto could use the company. He’s not in a good place right now, finally had break through with Inoichi-senpai. He actually wants to try eating some soup, but he’s not comfortable letting me out of his sight. Think you can get some heated up for him?”

“Sure, I remember where everything is. You go join him and I’ll let the fur kids in.”

Shikamaru got comfortable on the couch and pulled Naruto into his lap. He whistled and all three ninken charged in and piled up around Naruto on the couch. Shiro claimed a spot at Naruto’s hip and nuzzled his waist with a sad whine, Arashi sat across Shika’s legs resting his head on Naruto’s chest, and Yume sat on the floor with her head in Naruto’s lap, letting the blonde stroke her heavy fur. Kyo popped in and kept to his small form, curled up by Naruto’s neck on Shika’s chest.

No one spoke, they all focused on giving warmth and energy to the hurting teen. Kakashi came in with the soup and gave it to Shikamaru, then he squatted down in front of Naruto.

“Hey kiddo, I gave Shika your soup. You need me to get anything for ya? I started some mint ginger tea to settle your stomach and help you relax some.”

“Thanks Kashi, for the help and for not asking. I can’t..”

“Nope no thanks required, kid. You said it before, we’re a family. We look out for each other. When and if you’re ready, you can talk to me or Shika or your dad at any time. He’s headed back tomorrow and should be home late tomorrow evening. You want me to keep him away for a bit? Give you some time to collect yourself?”

“No, I think when he gets home, I should tell all of you what happened. Inoichi-sensei was right, I should have talked about it a long time ago. Can I ask you a personal question Kashi?”

“Of course.”

“Can you tell me what Obito was like when he was on your team with dad?”

Kakashi’s heart stopped in his chest for a moment. That’s what he had been talking about with Inoichi? He’d need to go by T&I later.

“He was scatterbrained, always late and always made excuses for why. Where I was a stickler for the rules, he was more free and open. Carefree and happy even though he lost his parents. Sometimes I think he only put up with me because of your dad and our teammate Rin. I had actually thought he died on our first big mission. I was about to be crushed by a boulder and he pushed me out of the way.

My sharingan was given to me by him. He said it was his gift to me for making Jonin. He wanted me to have it so he could see the future through me. When he showed up outside Kiri a few years ago, as soon as I heard his voice, I knew it was him. At the same time, it’s not him. Obito loved this village and the people in it. It was his dream to be Hokage one day. Actually told sensei that he would be a better hokage.”

“Really? Hehe what did dad say?”

“He told Obito, I look forward to it, but you’ll need to learn how to be on time.”

“Sounds like you a little bit.”

“When I thought he died, it changed me in a lot of ways. I never told you about what happened to my dad. I’m pretty sure you’ve heard what the villagers have been gossiping over the years, but you don’t know the full story.

Between the second and third shinobi wars, he was given a mission. Now the shinobi laws state that the mission always comes first. If your comrades fall or are in danger, you complete the mission first. My dad believed this to his core, but during this mission, he had to make a choice. Complete the mission and let his entire team die, or save his team and fail the mission. 

My dad chose to save his comrades, and because of his decision, he was labeled a traitor to the village. He was ostracized, ridiculed and even assaulted when he went into the village. Merchants and grocers wouldn’t sell to him or the few that did, would only sell him the rotted stuff. This continued on for a year and a half. 

I hated him for what he’d done to our clan name. He was the reason I pushed myself so hard in the academy, so I could graduate early and get away from the bullies and hateful stares. Also why I wore my mask all the time so no one would recognize me.”

Kakashi paused a moment and took a deep breath. Naruto’s cold tanned hand took hold of his, and Kakashi gave the blonde a small smile.

“One day, I had gone into the market because we had no food in the house. I tried to purchase what few groceries I could gather when the merchants started attacking me. I was a chunin at this point, had just taken the exam. If I fought back, I could have easily killed someone, and I didn’t want to tarnish the family name more than it had already been. So I let them have at me.

My dad saw the whole thing. Later that night when I got home, I found him dead on the floor. He’d killed himself so that I wouldn’t have to suffer any more because of his mistake. If it hadn’t been for your father and Inoichi-senpai, I don’t think I would have been alive when you came along. 

Because of what happened to my father, I gave up on my humanity. The only thing that mattered to me was the mission. I thought if I let my emotions surface and cared about my teammates, I’d only end up like my dad. Back then I thought he was a coward, I know now he did it to protect me, but then I couldn’t see it. 

Obito and Rin made me change that way of thinking. Losing Obito really made me rethink everything in my life.”

“You must have felt so alone that night. Where was dad or the others?”

“Sensei had just been named jonin and was out on a mission. Shikaku, Inoichi and Chouza were on the battlefield since the third war had started. I didn’t see any of them again for several months. Shisui-senpai tried to help me out, but he was constantly called away on clan business or missions. After sensei came back, he became my team captain. That’s when he found out what happened to my dad and that I was the one that found him. 

That’s also when I first met your mother.”

“Dad said she practically adopted you on sight! Kept saying how tiny and sad you were and kept trying to force feed you at every turn.”

“Yep, that was Kushina-san Sensei might have been Hokage in title, but Kushina was most definitely the boss. She was always the one running anything and everything that included the other Konoha wives. Constantly at odds with Tsume, Yoshi, and Mikoto, but somehow still best friends with all of them. She had a way of bringing people together just like you do. Obito was like that too.”

“What changed him? You don’t have to tell me if it’s too hard to talk about.”

“Only thing he would tell me that made him become what he is now, was that I killed Rin.”

“The girl teammate you had? Wasn’t she the one Stone shinobi forced to become the sanbi jinchuriki?”

“She’s the one. They had planned to use her as a weapon, and unleash the sanbi inside the village to rampage. She didn’t want to die that way, and she didn’t want the village to be destroyed. I had used my chidori to take down the Stone shinobi, and after she begged me to take her life and I refused, she pushed herself over my hand. I still had the chidori active, and my hand went right through her chest. Obito said he saw it all happen, saw how I killed her when I had promised to protect her.”

“But sensei! You didn’t kill her, you saved her! I’ve seen what happens to Jinchuriki who lose their tailed beasts. It’s not pretty and it’s an extremely painful way to die. If she hadn’t done that and was taken back to the village… It was better for her to die with you than the alternative sensei. Once the tailed beast is sealed, the jinchuriki is fated to remain with them for life, or until they are killed. It’s not a life many people can handle.”

“I know that now, I just wish Obito had too. Maybe then he wouldn’t be this way.”

“Thank you for sharing that with me sensei, I feel like I know you better now.”

“I’m sorry Naruto. I hadn’t even realized I’d never talked to you about all that. Honestly it never occurred to me that you didn’t already know most of it. It’s not a secret nor is it classified information.”

“It’s one thing to hear gossip and rumors, it’s not easy to figure out what’s real and what’s lies. Hearing it from you, I know it’s the truth. Plus, it’s your story sensei. When dad gets home, I’ll share mine. I’m pretty sure you know most of it, it’s probably in my medical files.”

“I know what the files say, but they don’t matter. That’s just words on paper, Naruto. For what it’s worth, that day… When I got to the hospital, they had just taken you into surgery.. Your father, Jiraiya and several other shinobi were being operated on in other rooms. I don’t know what happened that day, but from what I was told by the rescue teams, Minato and Jiraiya had turned into what was described as avenging angels. Their combined chakra was so high and so strong, the leveled the entire area to nothing.”

“So I wasn’t alone back then... “

“Naruto, you’re never really alone. Even when you don’t see us around, you have so many people fighting right there with you. Your mother, the other former jinchuriki, Kyuubi-sama, myself. We’re all with you. Especially Shikamaru. When Tsunade came out to talk to me, she was ghostly pale and looked terrified.

‘I don’t know how it happened, but every inch of that boy inside and out, was covered in shadows. There’s no physical damage to him anywhere. When the shadows cleared, he was covered in strange seals and markings that faded into his skin in just a few seconds. I’ve never seen that kind of jutsu, Kakashi. I need to get back to Konoha and search my grandfather’s archives. I need you to check Kushina and Minato’s records too. See if it’s Uzumaki seals. One of the nurses sketched the biggest one we could see. Use this to compare.’

We searched through every clan library, archive and scroll but could find nothing on the markings she saw. Not even Shikaku could identify it.”

Shikamaru froze, and a chill ran down his spine.

“Sensei, do you still have a copy of the seal she gave you? I think I know what it is.”

“I do. Hold on.”

Kakashi flashed out of the cottage, and Shikamaru wrapped his arms tighter around Naruto.

“If the seal is what I think it is, then I’m extremely happy right now.”

“How come Shika? What is it?”

“I told you about when I was pulled into the shadows right?”

“Yeah, kind of scared me.”

“When I woke up, my grandfather was there. He asked me what I could remember and the only thing I could remember was finding you. I told him someone had been hurting an angel, so I grabbed the man hurting you and dragged him in with me. The shadows took him and I pulled the angel, you, into my arms and held you. I wouldn’t let go until I felt familiar chakra. After that, it was nothing but darkness and the sound of screaming.”

“What did your grandfather say?”

“He told me that I had awakened a power not seen by the Nara clan since it’s origin. It doesn’t have a name, and it isn’t found in the scrolls. He said it basically gives me control over the darkness the shadows come from. I can use it to either kill or protect.”

“Shika that’s…”

“Naru, I would never hurt you. I wouldn’t use it to hurt the village either. I haven’t been able to use it since that first time..”

“Shika that’s so awesome! It’s like the sage mode for shadow users! We so gotta spar! I wanna see what you can do! Maybe I can go all out with you!”

Kakashi popped up and startled the dogs.

“Sorry guys, here ya go Shika-kun.”

Shikamaru took the folded paper and opened it up. On the paper was an intricate black seal when Shika ran his finger over the sketch, it seemed to light up faintly at his chakra signature. Curious, Shikamaru gently took Naruto’s arm in his left hand, then channeled chakra into his right and pressed it to the skin on the blonde’s forearm.

The spot instantly flared up and appeared as a shimmering green mark on Naruto’s arm. Naruto gasped and shuddered, trying to both pull his arm back and push it closer.

“Did that hurt Naruto?”

“No.. Not hurt really..”

A light blush dusted his cheeks, and he couldn’t look Kakashi in the eye. The silver haired jonin smirked.

“Probably not a good idea to do that again right now Shika-kun. I think Naru-chan likes it.”

Naruto glared at Kakashi, and Yume growled a light warning.

“Bakakashi! It’s not like that! It surprised me that’s all. The feeling is familiar, like cloud watching in the summer or being around the deer after a new fawn is born.”

“I think I can activate all of them at once but I think we need to wait for either your dad or Jiraiya-sensei to get home. I’m pretty certain it’s like a copy jutsu that allows Naru to call on my shadows when he’s in immediate danger. It should also work like a protection seal. I don’t want to test it out without someone who can use fuuinjutsu accurately. No offense Kaka-sensei, but you aren’t exactly a master.”

“None taken, and I believe you are right. Minato should be home tomorrow evening, but I believe Jiraiya isn’t due back for another couple of days. You look better now, Naruto. Your skin color is back to normal at least. Eat that soup and maybe take a nice long soak in the tub. Get some rest, you two.”

“Night Kakashi-sensei! Thank you for your help, and for bringing the guys. I think having them here helped. Might be a good idea to have the whole pack with me tomorrow. It was hard talking about it all the first time…”

“I think Pakkun and the others would love a visit. Might be smart to use the cavern instead of the living room though. That’s a lot of summons in one spot.”

“Yeah I don’t even want to think about cleaning up all the animal hair. Cavern it is. Goodnight sensei. Thank you for coming. I mean that.”

“Of course. Honestly, I think we helped each other. I’ll see you two tomorrow.”

Kakashi and the summons all left, Kyo deciding to go keep company with Shikaku and let Yoshino know that Naruto would be alright. Naruto quietly ate his soup, humming with joy as the warmth filled him from the inside. When he finished, Shikamaru gathered the bowl and spoon then gave Naruto a quick look. The blonde nodded and Shika got up to rinse them off and leave them in the sink for the next day.

“Think you’ll be okay long enough for me to go fill the tub for you?”

“Yeah, I think I’m okay for now. I’ll come up with you and sit on the bed so I can see you. That should be fine.”

Naruto followed Shikamaru up the stairs and sat on the bed. He watched Shikamaru plug the drain and turn the water on, not too hot but just the right amount of cold. He smiled at how well his boyfriend knew him. They had known each other all their lives, and yes they had their secrets, everyone did. Naruto could tell something was weighing on Shika’s mind, but he would wait until the other was ready to tell him. 

Lost in thought again, Naruto didn’t realize Shikamaru was next to him, until the brunette lifted him off the bed.

“Ack! Shika what is wrong with you? Warn me next time.”

“Hey Naru, did you notice something just now?”

“What? That you have no manners?”

“No, well okay but besides that.”

“You’ve gotten stronger?”

“No you dummy, you didn’t freak out when I grabbed you.”

Naruto thought about it for a moment, then it dawned on him that Shika was right. He didn’t even react other than normal shock at being suddenly lifted.

“That’s progress right there. You’re not magically cured, and there will probably be set backs after what you’ve been through today and what will happen tomorrow. You’ll get better babe, and I’ll be with you through it all.”

Shikamaru pulled his sweater and shirt off Naruto, placing a soft kiss over the blonde’s heart. Naruto made a quiet gasp, then giggled because he was super ticklish. He let Shikamaru undress and wash away the sweat and grime from their day, then he did the same for Shika. Together they got into the tub, Naruto laying back on Shika’s chest. 

A soft snoring brought Shikamaru’s attention to the blonde in front of him and he smiled. Sleep in the tub again. He let them relax until the water began to turn cool, then drained the tub and dried them both off. A feat seeing as he was one handed during this.

After putting Naruto in the bed, Shika quickly ran down the stairs and turned out the main lights, leaving the lamp on by the bed so he could see to get back upstairs. He turned the covers back and got in behind Naruto, who was already seeking him out with a whimper.

“I’m here Naru. Just had to turn off the lights.”

A soft kiss goodnight over fluttering eyes, arms and legs tangled around each other, they both drifted off into the first peaceful sleep they’d had in weeks.

“Night Naru.”

“Night Shika.”


	19. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ooh the feels! play time, meet and greets, feels and kissies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major warning for this chapter!!! There is graphic description of sodomizing in this chapter, blood, sexual assault of a minor, mentions of suicidal thoughts and attempts. Please please please do not read this chapter if you have these triggers

Chapter 16

Konoha Village Uchiha Compound

“Good morning Fugaku-senpai! Shikaku-sensei asked me to deliver the antler powder to Mi-chan, may I enter?”

“Why so formal this morning Naruto-kun? Usually I have to remind you to knock.”

“Itachi-senpai said he wouldn’t spar with me unless I behave myself until he’s done with his meeting.”

“Oh I see, working on your genjutsu training then?”

“Trying to. I always miss the moment his genjutsu activates, so it’s hard to even tell that I’m in one.”

“Sasuke tells me how annoying it is. Shisui is back from the capital, his sharingan is much stronger than Itachi’s. However, his works a little differently. If you’re up to the challenge, you’re more than welcome to ask him to train with you.”

“Really? Thank you Fugaku-taichou!”

“Go on then, Mikoto can’t make medicine for the clan without that powder.”

“Thank you! Mi-chan!”

Fugaku shook his head and returned to watching the koi in his pond. Naruto had become quite the hyper ball of sunshine. Reminded him of a much younger Shisui.

“In here Naru-chan. You didn’t have any issues entering the compound did you?”

“Nah, just the clan kids wanting me to play with them again. Michi-kun has gotten so much bigger since the last time I saw him. He’ll be as tall as Itachi-ni soon. Here’s the powder from Shi-kun, do you know where I can find Shisui-senpai?”

“He’s still asleep, why don’t you go wake him up Naru. He’s up in Sasuke’s old room.”

“Eh, really?”

Naruto gave a devious grin and his eyes sparkled. Mikoto was one of the few people outside the Nara compound that encouraged Naruto’s playful side. He thinks it has something to do with the fact his mom and Mikoto were best friends. He quietly made his way up the stairs, sticking close to the wall. He passed Itachi’s door and noted seeing Iruka still sleeping. He’d deal with that later, right now he had a mission.

Finally at the door to Sasuke’s room, Naruto slipped in and crouched at the foot of the bed. He made sure to keep his breathing slow and quiet, and prepared himself for launch. After a few seconds, he flung himself into the air and pounced on the unsuspecting Uchiha.

“Gaaaah What the hel..Oh Sage, haha hello Naruto-kun. I take it Mikoto-obasan tasked you with waking me up?”

“Yep! Also, can you help me with breaking genjutsu? Tachi-nii is usually the one who helps me but I can never tell when he activates his, so I never know when I’m in one with him.”

“Yeah, Itachi is a great shinobi, but not much for teaching things. My genjutsu is way different than Itachi or Sasuke’s though. Instead of warping reality like they do, mine is more like remaking reality. It’s pretty scary for most people who have never seen it before. How about we first work on how to recognize a genjutsu and then we’ll go from there.”

“Thank you Shisui-senpai! I know you just got back from a mission, but this means a lot to me.”

“Damn you’re so cute, just like a fox kit. Oh, before I forget. You need to talk to the kyuubi and let him learn my chakra signature. Last thing I want to do is have him mistake me for an enemy.”

“He said you can come see him yourself. Gimme your hand.”

Shisui blinked but slipped his hand over to Naruto. As soon as the blonde touched him, his mind was transported into Kyuubi’s space.

“Why the brat chooses to befriend Uchiha’s, knowing what they can do to us, is beyond me. What is your name Uchiha?”

“Shisui, Kyuubi-sama. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“Ah, so you are cousin to the long haired Uchiha boy. Why would you willingly let me access your chakra?”

“Well I know the history you had with Madara. I won’t even begin to pretend I could attempt the same thing, but I also wanted you to know that I have no intentions to do so. Lady Kushina taught me the importance of jinchuriki and that the bijuu were not meant to be used as tools.”

“Do you agree with her teachings, boy?”

“Sort of. The immense chakra the bijuu poses, in my opinion anyway, is the key to true peace. Just not in the form of a weapon to be manipulated by man. Man should first build a comradery with the bijuu, more of a partnership. Work together to defend the people from those who want to destroy the peace.”

“You’re smart for a fleshling. Naruto has been tormented for his choice of partner, who his parents are, and because he is my jinchuriki. What are your thoughts on this?”

“I kinda wanna adopt him. He’s to friggin cute! As for his parents, Minato has someone I always aspired to be like. He’s strong and fierce in battle, but passionate about the people he loves. Kushina was like the mother I never knew. I could never hurt Naruto for that. As for the bond between him and the Nara heir? Honestly I’m kinda jealous of what they have. Love is love, everyone deserves love. Important thing is that they’re both happy.”

“You look like you’re about to explode, boy. Ask your questions, I like you so I might answer them.”

“Before you were sealed in your first jinchuriki, what was the world like?”

“That’s what you want to know?”

“Of course! You’ve been around for so long, you must have seen some amazing things.”

“We really don’t have the time now for that kind of thing. You are welcome to return again to continue this conversation. I approve of you to teach the boy.”

“Thank you Kyuubi-sama.”

“My name is Kurama.”

“Then, thank you Kurama-sama. I should go before Naruto gets himself into trouble.”

Shisui woke up to see a smiling Naruto.

“What did the fluff ball want?”

“Apparently to make sure I was worthy of teaching you. Must have said the right things, since he gave his approval.”  
“He likes you then. Can we train now!?”

“Yes yes. Let me get changed and we’ll use the training grounds out back. I’ll let the compound guards know we’ll be training so they won't think you’re attacking me. Was Mikoto-obasan cooking when you came in? I’m starving!”

“Yep, she was starting the miso when I started up the stairs. I’ll meet you downstairs!”

Naruto bounced out the door and ran down the stairs and back into the kitchen, leaving a very amused Shisui shaking his head.

“I heard the scream, so I know he’s up now. Breakfast is ready, can you carry the rice and the miso for me, Naruto-kun? You’re joining us before you head out again.”

“I don’t want to impose Mi-chan, but I will gladly join. Here let me get those! Oh Shisui-senpai, can you set the table? My hands are kinda full.”

“Yep! Morning obasan, you look lovely today!”

“Shisui-kun did you trample my garden again?”

“No, no. Nothing like that. I was hoping you would help me with teaching Naruto how to identify sharingan genjutsu. Mine isn’t really the best for it and Itachi is too stubborn to actually break it down.”

“I can spare some time today. I will warn you, I am a strict teacher.”

“Yes! Thank you Mi-chan! Oh, good morning again Fugaku-senpai.”

“Hello again Naruto-kun. If you’re wanting to give Naruto a more thorough genjutsu training, why not just have him join the clan training today? Kira is teaching the younger ones today, I’m sure he’d be willing to teach you as well. You can learn the basics before going under Mikoto and Shisui’s tutelage.”

Mikoto and Shisui turned to Fugaku, who wore a smug grin, and blinked. He was personally inviting an outsider to a clan training session?!

“I would be honored, Fugaku-senpai. But is it really okay for me to join? I don’t want to upset clan traditions.”

“You are as much a part of this clan as Kakashi is. My wife and your mother were practically siblings. The clan elders have already approved of you being included in the training. We only ask that you never share any techniques you learn from us with those outside the clan.”

Naruto’s eyes teared up and he gave a deep bow.

“Thank you very much, senpai. I will carry any secrets I learn in the compound to my grave.”

“You’re so much like both of your parents. First we eat, Mikoto has outdone herself on this meal. Then, we’ll meet everyone out in the battle arena where we hold our clan training sessions. We train as a group once a week, but you’re welcome to come train anytime someone is available.”

Breakfast was a warm happy affair in the Uchiha house. Itachi strolled in and joined the excitement. He was as shocked as his family at his father’s invitation. He just hid it better. Once breakfast was finished, Naruto dragged Shisui and Itachi into the kitchen to handle the clean up. This amused the clan head and his wife to no end. Where was this kid when Itachi and Sasuke were younger?

Out in the battle arena, Naruto was sitting among a group of little Uchiha children learning the basics of sharingan genjutsu. Kira was a great teacher, and since Naruto was a quick learner, he managed to pick up the lesson quickly. 

After the basics lesson, he joined a group of younger teens that were learning to use their sharingan. Naruto would learn how to identify a genjutsu being used on him, then how to break it. It was a struggle at first, but he eventually managed it. While taking a break for tea, Naruto met some interesting kunoichi twins.

“Why is your hair yellow?”

“Why do you have blue eyes?”

“Well my dad has the same hair and eye color that I have. I think I get it from him?” 

“Are you a demon?”

“Mari you can’t say that!”

“Hush Mili!”

“It’s okay, don’t fight you two. I guess in a way I kind of am a demon. I’m a jinchuriki, or rather I have a bijuu inside me. You’ve heard the stories of the nine tailed fox right?”

“You mean the one about the kyuubi and Madara-san?”

“Yep! Kyuubi's chakra was sealed inside me when I was just a baby. Now he’s my friend and helps keep me safe.”

“Is he nice?”  
“What’s he look like?”

“Hmm well sometimes he’s nice. He’s usually grumpy but he’s never been really mean to me. As for how he looks, well I can show you! I’ll have to get permission to let his chakra out though since we’re still inside the compound. Don’t want to scare everyone.”

“We can ask uncle! Mari go get Uncle!”

“Okay! Don’t go away Nikko-chan!”

“Oh yeah! What’s your name?”

“My name is Naruto! And you’re Mili right?”

“Yeah! How did you know?”

“Well you and your sister look so much alike, but I can tell your hair has more blue and Mari has freckles on her nose.”

“Wow! Not even kaasan can tell us apart most times. You have good eyes Naru-nii!”

“I brought Uncle!”

“Naruto, well now I see why she was calling you sunshine. You are able to channel the kyuubi chakra without losing control?”

“Yep! He taught me a long time ago. I usually only use that form as a last resort because it uses up so much chakra. Sasuke said it looks more like a susanoo but I’ve never seen one so I don’t know.”

“Well let’s see it then and I can tell you. Itachi, would you mind sparring with Naruto? I’m afraid you and Shisui are the only ones here that could give him any real work out.”

“Should we tag team him if he’s going all out? I gotta see this so count me in either way.”

“I admit I’m curious to see this myself. I’m game.”

“Yes! Oh before I do this, I’ll need the little ones out of the way. I won’t let them get hurt, but the bijuu chakra burns me sometimes because it’s so strong. I don’t wanna see people get hurt from our spar.”

“Mili, Mari, round up the younger ones and move them to the observation deck. Naruto, should we alert the kyuubi that this is merely a training demonstration?”

“Nah, he knows. He’s looking forward to playing with the both you. As long as no one tries to control him he said he’ll play nice. Since I’m not trying to destroy the compound or hurt people, I’ll stick to just the kyuubi’s chakra. Since this is just a demonstration, I’ll draw on nature energy and go into Sage Mode first, then I’ll use Kyuubi Chakra mode. Just give me a few minutes.”

Naruto sat down and took his meditation stance. He closed his eyes and took a deep soothing breath. Itachi and Shisui watched him closely to see what would happen. To their surprise, Naruto’s features didn’t change at all. An orange stripe resembling makeup appeared over each of his eyes and the tails from his head band began dancing as if being blown by an unseen wind. Once blue eyes snapped open to reveal amphibious slit brown and red.

“Okay! You two ready? Need to let my natural chakra build up, so let's get warmed up. Oh and Tachi-nii, Shisui-senpai, don’t hold back.”

The feral grin and light growl to his voice sent shivers of excitement down their backs. Both Uchiha activated their sharingan and took up positions on either side of Naruto. All three boys were grinning and before anyone could blink, the fight began.

Itachi charged at Naruto, kunai in each hand. Naruto brought up his own kunai to block, and felt Shisui coming at him from behind. With a chuckle he jumped into a summersault and came back down in front of both Uchiha. Their smirks grew to full smiles as they kicked, swiped, and punched at each other. None of them had yet to break a sweat but Naruto’s cheeks had a light flush. 

“Come one guys! You’re holding back and that’s no fun.”

“I don’t know Naruto, you’re not moving as fast as I know you can.”

“Why should I? You haven’t even made me sweat yet. You guys need some backup? Maybe Ruka-sensei?”

That got a rise out of Itachi, Shisui just sniggered and threw some random kunai around them.

“Trying to use my old man’s jutsu against me? Go ahead, I’ll even pretend I can’t see you.”

Suddenly Naruto vanished leaving the two older men looking around. Naruto popped up and tapped Shisui on the shoulder. Shisui squawked and spun around only to be hit on the forehead with the handle of a kunai. Ducking to miss a swipe by Itachi, not quick enough to avoid a haircut, Naruto rolled to the side.

“That was close! Ah come on now! At least finish it later for me yeah?”

“Perhaps. Why haven’t you broken my genjutsu?”

“I’m having too much fun. Besides, it made it easier to build up my chakra faster. Now let’s have some real fun.”

Naruto flashed through his hand signs for the shadow clone jutsu with a smile.

“Hey senpai! I hear you’re almost as fast as my dad. Let’s see if you can dodge all these better than he could.”

Naruto released 3 shuriken that quickly became 100. Shisui growled at the comparison to Minato, but accepted the challenge. Using his kunai, Shisui dodged and deflected as many shuriken as he could. By the time he knocked away the last two, he was breathing heavy and had a few minor scratches here and there.

“Wow, I’m impressed! Uh oh.. OW! Dammit that smarts. My ass, really senpai?”

“Well you should have been paying closer attention. You aren’t the only shinobi that knows the shadow clone jutsu.”

“Always be mindful of your enemy’s position in a battle, Naruto. That was one of the first lessons you were taught.”

Itachi jumped back from Naruto’s kick and charged again with his kunai. Naruto laughed happily as he pulled off a sloppy sweeper kick, then back flipped away from the cousins.

“Okay okay, Grumpy-san wants his turn to play now. Plus it’s getting late, so I need to hurry this up. Take a few steps back guys, he’s pretty big.”

Naruto held his hands in position and closed his eyes. Swapping places with Kurama took some time since Naruto had to balance his chakra level with Kurama’s. That was the real reason he didn’t use this technique often. 

Everyone watched with weighted breath as a bright yellow flame engulfed Naruto. His clothes changed, his hair lengthened, and his chakra exploded around him. Itachi’s genjutsu was shattered, and Shisui was forced to his knees from the chakra.

“Damn that’s intense.”

“Agreed, I trust Naruto, but stay on your guard.”

“It’s fine Itachi. I’ve spoken with Kyuubi. He doesn't think highly of humans, or Uchiha for that matter, but he won’t attack unless someone attacks him first.”

They watched as Naruto lifted up into the air as the flames morphed to take on Kurama’s massive form. Fugaku stepped forward between his son and his nephew. He had heard rumors of the nine tails massive form. To see it like this with his own eyes, was surreal.

After a few minutes, the full solid form of Kurama stood in the middle of the battle arena. To Shisui, he looked stuck between annoyed and amused. The enormous fox lowered his head to look into the three Uchiha’s eyes.

“Shisui and Itachi and I'm familiar with. You are a new chakra signature. Your name, elder Uchiha?”

“Uchiha Fugaku, current clan head.”

“Cocky and arrogant, must be clan traits. You have cared for the brat, and treated him as kin. For that you have my respect. Where are the small fleshlings that were so anxious to see me? They annoyed the kit, I like them.”

“Mari and Mili, approach.”

“So cool! Naru-nii really is a demon!”

“You’re so big! Can I pet your tails?”

“You may, I warn you they tend to have minds of their own. The tailed beasts have been referred to as demons before, Naruto is a demon in his own rights. Even without my influence his chakra reserves are larger than most. Tell me young one, why do I sense kitsune chakra on you?”

“That’s a secret Kyu-chan!”

“Hah! You have spirit young one. How old are the two of you?”

“We’re nine! Ten in a few months. Mari and I were born in the snow.”

“As was I. Be kind to the kitsune young Mari, and keep an eye on Naruto for me. He can be reckless in his training. I must let Naruto back out, he is to meet his father at the gates soon. I am sure we’ll meet again.”

In a flash of light, Kurama was gone, and Naruto stood hunched over and shaking out each breath.

“Damn, been a while since we went full swap. He didn’t scare ya did he? He can be a brat sometimes.”

“He was cordial during his visit. Shikamaru-kun is waiting for you at the gates. Come again Naruto-kun. The clan was very impressed with your control over your chakra.”

“Sure! Oh I almost forgot! I was supposed to let you all know my birthday will be held at the festival grounds. Too many people were invited to hold it on the Nara grounds this year. Yoshi-san wanted to make sure the invitations for your clan had made it.”

“We received them and have already sent word of our attendance.”

“Great! Gotta go now but I’ll visit again. Bye everyone!”

Naruto took off at a full run to catch up with Shikamaru. His face lit up at the sight of Shikamaru playing a shogi match with one of the clan elders.

“Should I come back for you Shika? Elder Myobi-ji, are you losing a match again?”

“Show respect for your elders brat. I’ve never won against a Nara, but they’re the only ones who make the game interesting.”

“Nah, we’re done here. Checkmate, Myobi-san. Dad will surely give you a few games tomorrow at the party. Hey Naru, why did we since Kyuubi’s chakra?”

“Oh the twins wanted to see what he looked like, and the clan wanted to test my ability to control the chakra. You should have seen Mili tangled in Kyuubi’s tails!”

“Ah, so it went well then? Shame I missed it. That wily fox is one of the best shogi players I’ve ever encountered, course he has to have someone move the pieces for him.”

“We should get going. Always a pleasure, elder. See you next time.”

“Bye ji-chan!”

“Brat!”

Naruto jumped onto Shikamaru’s back causing an oof from his boyfriend.

“You’ve put weight back on. I was worried. He’s still a good ways out, seems like Choji is with him so that would slow him down quite a bit.You hungry?”

“Starving! Stupid fox used up almost all my chakra. Oh oh stop right here! Yuki-chan do you have any pork buns today?”

“Oh Naruto-kun! It’s been too long since you visited me. I do have some, how many would you like? Hello Shikamaru-san.”  
“Yuki-san, I hope your arthritis is doing better. How is Sou-san these days? We’ll take three please.”

“I haven’t felt better in years, thank your mother for me. Sou is honery as ever, his back gave out on him last week so he’s in bed.”

“That’s terrible! I have some salve you can use for him! I picked it up in the Land of Tea during my travels. It helped Jiraiya-sensei when he threw his back out during training.”

“Oh you sweet boy, don’t trouble yourself. The old bat has medicine for it he’s just too stubborn to use it. Here you go boys, enjoy them. Put that away or you’ll get the spoon Shikamaru.”

“Yes ma’am. We’re meeting Minato-sensei at the gates so we need to get going. We’ll visit more often Yuki-san. Let’s get going, Naru.”

“Right. Bye Yuki-san!”

“Idiot don’t talk with your mouth full, you’ll choke.”

Naruto stuck out his tongue and Shikamaru pinched his side. They continued their walk to the main gate. Kotetsu and Izumo were on duty today, so they were already waiting. 

“Hey love birds! Here to see sensei?”

“Hey Izumo, how long have you been taking it from Ko?”

“Gah! Dammit Genma!”

“Genma! How’s that blow gun working with your senbon?”

“Aww Naru-chan! I love it, gives me better range on senbon. Quite too, where did you pick it up?”

“Nagato and I met an Uzumaki in Ame that makes all kinds of weapons. I told her about how you use senbon and she gave me that. The longer senbon that came with it are hollow so you can fill them with poison.”

“Looks like Kakashi is back from Suna. And he’s not alone, he’s brought guests. Hopefully the dummy remembered to send word this time.”

“Yeah, feels like Gaara, Kiba, Sasuke and Kankuro.”

“Choji’s with sensei too.”

“Wow so this will be the first time in over a decade the rookie 9 will be back together again.”  
“Any bets on who gets here first?”

“Please, we all know Minato will. Even with Choji with him, he’s faster.”

“I think Sensei will get here first, but only because Kakashi is always late.”

“Pfft, no way. Minato will pace himself to match Choji, so Kakashi will get here first.”

“I bet they get here at the same time. Dad is fast, so is Choji if he’s motivated right. Kakashi is always late unless it’s something he wants, and Gaara hates to travel so he’ll make Kashi move faster.”

“Yeah I’m with Naru-chan. What’s the bet?”

“D ranks. The mission office is overrun with them.”

“Well all bets are closed, they’re all speeding up. Let’s see who wins.”

“Aw see I told you we should have left with the kid! We missed out on the bet!”

“Then you should have eaten faster.”

“Didn’t we just leave the Uchiha compound?”

“Shika be nice! Hey you two finally caught up?”

“Cheeky brat. Oh here they come!”

Cresting the top of the hill, Minato and Kakashi lead the group with Gaara and Sasuke right behind them. Naruto couldn’t wait anymore, he took off at a full sprint, nearly tackling the group.

“You just won me a bet guys!”

“Haha, hello to you too Naruto. What bet exactly?”

“To see who would get here first. Majority was for Minato. Losers have to handle the D ranks piled up on the mission desk. Looks like it will be Kotetsu, Izumo and Shikamaru.”

“They didn’t make it through the gates so technically none of us won.”

“No way! You never said they had to make it through the gates, so me and Gemma still win.”

Minato laughed and Kakashi rolled his eyes. Naruto was tackled by Sasuke and Gaara.

“Jeez duck butt, I missed you too but do ya have to break my back? Hehe hey Gaara, how’s Suna?”

“Granny Chio says to tell you that you’re an ungrateful brat for not visiting longer. Suna has changed a great deal since your last trip through.”

“Yeah yeah, as soon as I’m cleared to leave the village again I’ll drop in.”

“Oi Dobe, don’t ignore me. Why the hell didn’t you send word that you were back?”

“I’ve been busy, asshole. Are you not aware of how many kids each clan has? Friggin Uchiha’s have nothing better to do than breed like rabbits, I swear.”

“What’s that got to do with you?”

“Naruto-kun has been teaching the children basic chakra control and simple jutsus. The clans were about to go to war over it actually. Shikaku-senpai suggested we use neutral territory and now Naruto has his own ‘chakra school’ as the kids call it. Those too young for the academy spend four to five hours a day with Naruto. Yet he refuses to take on a genin team.”

“Hard to see the idiot as a teacher, but Itachi wouldn’t lie. More surprised the clans would allow it.”

“It gets the brats out of their hair for a while. The mothers rallied against all the clan elders. It was hilarious! Inoichi and Shikaku actually hid behind the hokage when chakra started rising.”

“How do you think I felt when Hiashi and Hizashi tried to blackmail me into marrying Hinata? I thought Shika would bury those two.”

“Seems we missed out on all the fun Minato.”

“Sounds like it. What happened with Hinata?”

“Ha! She told of the Hyuuga elders and her father!”

“Yeah, we all saw you making heart eyes over her Shisui.”

“Seriously? Meek and timid Hinata?”

“Hey Choji! Good to see ya! Wow you look too skinny, what’d you do, starve yourself?”

“Nah, all the walking we did between here and Kumo slimmed me down some. I’ll build it back up now that I’m home.”

“It’s getting late, perhaps we should disperse for now and regroup tomorrow?”

“Right, I hadn't realized it was so late. We have something to take care of tonight so we’ll be heading out first. Sensei, are you too tired from traveling to use your jutsu?”

“Is that a challenge Shikamaru?”

“Maybe, we need to get home quickly. Meet in the basement of the cottage?”

“We’ll see you there.”

Minato and Kakashi flashed out, followed by Shikamaru and Naruto. In mere moments, the four of them were in the cavern under the cottage, as well as Naruto and Kakashi’s ninken packs. Naruto paced around the group, wringing his hands and trying to calm himself down.

“Naruto, son what’s the matter? I haven’t seen you this upset in a long time.”

“I.. I need to talk to you guys, I just need a minute.”

“Naru..”

“I know Shika, I’m okay I promise. I just… It’s a lot to say and I know it’s going to upset all of you and myself. The only reason I didn’t struggle this bad last time is because Inoichi-sensei pushed me into it. I’m glad he did though because it did help. Actually, can you go call him? I think it would help.”

“Sure, Naru. Sit with the dogs until I get back, okay?”

“Yeah that’s a good idea. Hurry back.”

Shikamaru took the stairs and disappeared through the door. Kyo flashed in and transformed to his full size and lay on the floor.

“Lean against me kit, it will be better for your back than the hard ground.”

“Thanks Kyo.”

As soon as Naruto sat down, the dogs piled over him until all that was visible of him was his eyes and nose. He felt the tension melt away slowly and sighed.

“Naruto, if you need more time, this can wait.”

“No sensei, it can’t. If I try to put it off, I’ll just convince myself not to talk. Inoichi-sensei and Baacha won’t let me out of the village until I get past this, and to do that I have to talk about it.”

Understanding dawned in Minato’s eyes and he shot a glance to Kakashi who nodded in response to the silent question.

“I’m sure you already figured out what I’m gonna talk about, but I still have to get this out. Once I start, don’t stop me or I won’t be able to keep going.”

“We won’t son. Just take your time, and remember to breathe. No matter what you tell us, we won’t think any less of you.”

“I know, thanks dad. I’m not worried about that. Last time I told this story, I got so sick and hurt all over. Think it scared Shika.”

“Minato! Next time you decide to take a long vacation like that and leave me to babysit your office, I will shave that dandelion fluff off your head and give it to Chouza for a new headdress. Kakashi, welcome back! Oi Naruto Fugaku told me you gave the Uchiha brats a good work out today, you dead under there?”

“No stupid sensei! And they put up a good fight, hopefully Gaara will spar with me tomorrow! I haven’t seen Shukaku in a while and he’s always good for a fight.”

“Yeah well if you handle things well tonight, I’ll see about clearing you for travel to Suna so you can tear up the dessert with that giant tanuki.”

“So if I don’t chicken out and run away, then?”

“Yeah pretty much. Tsunade has been on my ass about getting you cleared for missions again. Then Genma, Izumo and Kotetsu showed up at the mission desk and divided up all the D ranks between the three of them. Itachi and Shisui in toe, took the C ranks. Shocked the hell out of poor Iruka, kid nearly keeled over with a heart attack. Shika, get your ass down here or you can play tea party with my nieces for a week.”

“Yeah yeah, I’m coming. That’s the last time I cover for you with your wife.”

Naruto couldn’t help but laugh. Leave it to the older blonde to lighten his mood with indifference. He knew full well how nervous Naruto was and he was comforting the boy in the best way he could for this situation.

“Alright everyone sit down and shut up. Naruto, you can stay where you are but you better speak where I can hear you or I’m dragging you out.”

“If you can get past Yume-san you’re welcome to do so. That wolf happens to prefer crabby blondes.”

“Stuff it scarecrow. Get started kiddo or I’m not signing your release papers.”

Naruto closed his eyes and took a deep breath and released it slowly. Best way to do this was to start at the beginning.

“We were training in Uzushio, and I finally managed to stabilize the rasengan. I was already tired and struggling to stay upright because I had used up my chakra trying to perfect it. I was taking a break when we heard a loud pop noise, and everything got distorted kinda like Kakashi’s kamui. That’s when the masked man, Obito according to Kashi, showed up. 

After a few minutes of him ranting and threatening to kill me, he summoned these white things he called Zetsus to break us all up and distract us. The fights lasted several hours, I could barely stand by the time we killed off the last Zetsu, when Obito attacked me head on. I used the last of my chakra and some of Kyuubi’s to form a giant rasengan. I threw it right at him, and we all thought it had hit because there was an explosion.

During the chaos of the explosion, Obito grabbed me and got me away from the group. I don’t know where he’d taken us, but we were pretty far away from everyone. I had no chakra left at this point, and he was using sharingan to keep Kyuubi from coming out. He tried to break my seal and when he couldn’t he got very angry. Started kicking me in the face and head, dropped several huge boulders on me.

I went unconscious for a while, and when I came to… I was naked and my hands and feet were tied together so I was spread open. He had gagged me with my bandages so I couldn’t scream out. I was scared and couldn’t move to fight, and with no chakra, I couldn’t get away either. I kept reaching out to Kyuubi, but he was stuck too. I don’t know what Obito did to him, but he was basically knocked out. 

I heard someone laughing so I moved my head to look around and try to find who it was, and that's when I saw him. He had taken off his mask, half his face was badly scarred and he was missing an eye. He stood over me holding a chakra blade and had this sickening smile on his face. 

‘I’ll teach you all a lesson in denying me what I want! It’s your fault my plan failed! Oh don’t worry, I won’t kill you yet. If I do that, I’ll lose that beast inside you. No, you’re going to suffer so that Kakashi will suffer for what he did. And then you’ll suffer for keeping me away from the tailed beasts!’

Then he… He started shallowly stabbing the blade all over my nine year old body. The pain was too much for me and I passed out again. He woke me back up and broke my nose telling me I wasn’t allowed to escape. He kept this up, over and over until the blade was completely covered in my blood.

He made sure I was watching him as he lowered the blade and…”  
Naruto gagged and covered his mouth as he tried to breathe through his nose. He was certain everyone in the room knew what he’d just done, especially the dogs. He wanted to stop and run somewhere to hide. His vision was going dark and he noticed he wasn’t breathing. He could feel someone coming close to him.

“N..No don’t touch me! I can finish just… Don’t touch me right now please..”

Whoever it was backed off and Naruto got his breathing back under control.

“Once the blade was fully covered, he used it to… He shoved the blade into me down there, over and over and over again. I screamed until my throat was bleeding. I somehow managed to get the gag off and I screamed for help. I begged him to stop, to kill me, let me go… I screamed for my dad, for Kashi, for anyone to save me. I cried so much my tears turned to blood… 

I was so scared, in so much pain. There was no one there, no one came… It kept going on, he never stopped. I couldn’t hear anything but the sounds of myself screaming, the sounds of the blade and the blood.. I could feel the blood all around and over me. 

Finally I couldn’t take it anymore, my body started shutting down and I passed out from the blood loss. Before my eyes closed, I could feel a sudden warmth all over my body, and the pain stopped. I could breathe again. I barely noticed I was being engulfed in shadows. I closed my eyes as I was pulled into the shadows completely.

I don’t know where I was, but I felt safe, protected and warm. So so warm. Not sure how long I stayed there, at least not until I woke up in the hospital six months later. When I woke up, all I could remember was the shadows and the warmth. I was talking to one of the medics when the memories of everything came flooding back all at once. They had to sedate me and restrain me to keep me from killing myself.

I felt so alone, and being tied to the bed made me think of being tied up. I couldn’t breathe again and I kept trying to bite my tongue off, so Kyuubi pulled me into his space and kept me there until I finally calmed down. 

It wasn’t until I talked to Inoichi-sensei yesterday that I found out why no one came. And it wasn’t until I was released from the hospital a month after waking up that I realised the whole thing had been a genjutsu. Everything except the shadows. That had been real. It was because of what happened, that I tried so hard to get someone to teach me how to recognize and break genjutsus.

C..Can I be done now, sensei? I can’t say anymore.. I need..”

“It’s okay Naruto. We’ll give you some time. Do you want us to leave?”

“N..No please stay! I just need.. Some help upstairs.. Daddy please..”

Minat shot over to his son faster than he’d ever moved in his life, picked up Naruto and disappeared upstairs to the bathroom. Kakashi reached over and pulled the now sobbing Shikamaru into his arms to let the boy cry out his pain. His own tears fell freely as he looked at Inoichi, who was also crying.

After several hours, the summons had all gone and Kakashi, Inoichi, and Shikamaru made their way upstairs. Kakashi made a pot of tea, and started some broth on the stove. He doubted anyone would be up to eating anything right now.

Naruto sat in the tub silently crying as his father washed his hair. He had already cleaned himself off from his accident, letting his dad wash his hair was in a way therapy for them both. Minato needed it so he could comfort his son and make him feel loved. Naruto needed it to prove his dad was there, this was real.

“If I had known that day what was going on… Naruto please forgive me..”

“It’s not your fault dad. When I thought you weren’t coming, I never thought it was because you didn’t love me. I feared the worst, that you and Kashi and everyone else were dead. It took a long time for Kyuubi to accept that I didn’t blame him either. He couldn’t do anything as much as I could, Obito had him locked down. 

Am I an idiot for not hating him dad?”

“No, you’re not an idiot Naruto. I have a feeling Obito is being controlled himself. I knew him when he was younger, he would have never done any of this. He wasn’t the kind of person to torture others. He didn’t even like fighting, only did it when he had to.”

“Yeah that’s what Kashi said too.”

“Lean your head back so we can rinse out the soap.”

Naruto closed his eyes and leaned back. He sighed softly at the feel of the water being poured over his head. He could feel himself finally relax a little, and he could smell tea and soup from downstairs. This brought a small smile to his lips, leave it to Kashi. He heard Shika curse then he could smell the fireplace going, the strong scent of pine burning seemed to relax him even more.

“Alright, all done. You want to soak for a bit?”

“I’m okay now, can you grab me some clothes from the second drawer?”

“I grabbed them while you were washing off, they’re here on the counter. I’ll step out and let you get dressed. Just outside the door.”

“Really dad, I’m okay. Go on down with the others. I’ll be right down once I’m dressed.”

Minato hesitated but nodded and left the bathroom. Naruto pulled the stopper from the drain and stood up. Grabbing the towel off the rack, he dried himself off and stepped out of the tub. He dressed quickly and left the bathroom to rejoin his friends. No wait, they were more than that. Always have been, they were his family. With a bright smile he walked over and wrapped his arms around Kakashi.

“Thank you Kashi. It’s my favorite tea, the soup looks a little thin though. I think there’s some left over pork in the fridge. Think we can add that and some veggies?”

Kakashi nearly cried again, he could hear the real message behind what Naruto said. 

Thank you Kakashi, for taking care of me all these years. 

“Only if you do something with your boy. His pacing is driving me crazy.”

“Must have been a very short trip, old man.”

Naruto skipped out of Kakashi’s reach and he decided he wanted to attach himself to Shika, so he did. This caused them both to fall over.

“Idiot are you trying to get us killed?”

“Nope, just wanted to attach myself to you. Don’t cry Shika, please? I don’t wanna cry anymore. It’s over now, and I know I’m not alone. I have you, dad, Kashi, Inoichi and everyone else. I’m not all better yet, but I’m okay and I will be better someday because of all of you.”

“I’m not crying you dummy. I got smoke in my eyes. No matter what happens, don’t ever leave my side again. That reminds me too, Minato-sensei. Can we borrow your fuuinjutsu expertise for a minute? Alright shorty off with the shirt.”

“Shika! In front of everyone? Sorry but I’m not into that.”

“Don’t be cute, I want to show your dad the seals. Now off with it.”

Naruto cackled as he pulled off his shirt, Inoichi whistled then oofed when Minato punched him in the stomach. Shikamaru huffed a laugh and pushed some of his chakra into Naruto’s skin over the center of his chest where the largest of the seals was located. And just like last time, it lit up except this time, all the seals appeared. Naruto gasped and shivered a bit.

“Oh wow these are very old. Quite impressive Shika. I’m guessing this happened when you pulled Naruto into the shadows that day?”  
“Yeah, or at least I think so. Will Naruto be able to activate them with his own chakra, or will he need me to do it every time?”

“Kyuubi-san should be able to infuse them with his chakra when necessary, but they’re already activated. Part of this symbol here, allows the seals to remain hidden when not in use. Something about what you told us has me really curious now. What happened to Obito?”

Naruto cocked his head for a moment while he tried to remember.

“I pulled him into the shadows before I brought Naruto in.”

“Oh, well that explains that. If I remember correctly the void of shadows is a pocket dimension like Kakashi’s kamui.”

“Not quite. There’s ways to escape that place if you have a sharingan. I had Fugaku-san explain it to me since his is similar. The void of shadows is basically just that, it’s nothingness. Once inside, no one can get out unless the one who drags them in lets them out. That’s how Naruto and myself got out.”

“What’s been happening to him there?”

“I won’t go into details, but I can promise you it’s worse than anything he’s ever experienced. It’s a lot like Itachi’s tsukuyomi genjutsu. Time is stopped in there, complete darkness, no sound, he can’t use chakra or his sharingan. Basically all he can do is feel whatever the shadows are doing to him. My grandpa told me that he’s seen hardened cold blooded murderers have gone in for a few hours and come back out weak and bawling like a newborn baby, fully reformed and terrified of shadows.”

“Isn’t that a bit much though, Shika? I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”

“I’ll let him out when you’re cleared for missions again. It’s only fair he gets the same treatment he gave you.”

“An eye for an eye will only leave the world blind. I won’t deny he deserves to be punished, probably even executed for the crimes he commited. No one deserves endless torture like that.”

“I’m sorry Naruto, but I have to side with Shikamaru on this one. It’s not ideal, but it is the best way to hold him. With his abilities, he could escape any sealing jutsu or cell we come up with. We can’t risk him getting away now that we have him. With him captured, we can take down the rest of the Akatsuki.”

“Yeah okay, I see what you mean. Doesn’t mean I have to like it though.”

“I don’t like it either, he was my student once. It’s not easy to see what he’s been turned into. Ah thank you Kashi.”

“Can we please stop with the heavy talk? I think we’ve had enough for a while. The soup is ready so come and get some, then we need to head home and get some sleep. All of us have a very full schedule tomorrow.”

“Okay Kashi-sensei. Ooh this smells so good! I sometimes forget you can cook!”

“Gee thanks.”

“I think I’m going to head home myself. Sora is probably about ready to hunt me down.”

“You sure Inoichi? There’s plenty.”

“I’m sure, but thank you for the offer. Naruto, come by my office tomorrow morning and we’ll talk about what will happen next.’

“I’ll be there, sensei. Be safe on your way home.”

“Yep, see you all tomorrow.”

After the pot of soup was emptied and washed, Minato and Kakashi left with promises that one of the boys would come get them if anything happened. Shikamaru pulled Naruto down under the covers with him and held him close, peppering his face with soft kisses until they fell asleep in each other's arms. Another peaceful dreamless sleep.


	20. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anger issues, Sauske is a lil shit, Gaara and Shika are wise, Naruto dances, little ones like cake, and sexy time!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for this chapter: Only two; Mentions of child abuse, some light citrus at the beginning, and a full blown detailed lemon at the end

Chapter 17

Konoha Village October 10th

After everything that happened last night, Naruto really didn’t feel like attending his own party. He knew so many people had come to Konoha just to celebrate this day with him, but he really just felt like staying home and spending some time alone with his boyfriend. Ever since they woke up at the crack of dawn, they’d been busy as hell. Shika and Kakashi had been running all over the village picking things up, making delivery arrangements, making sure people were still coming, and anything else the Mom Squad could think of.

His dad was buried in his office in the tower, catching up on all the paperwork that had piled up in his absence. He wanted to get as much done as possible so he would be free to join in the party. The Uchiha clan were hosting Gaara at the compound, so of course they had a huge to do over it, embarrassing the redhead as well as Sasuke to end. Naruto actually found that kind of funny.

He was currently sitting outside Inoichi’s office waiting for the man to finish his meeting so they could get to discussing what needed to be done so he could be cleared to go on missions again. He’d take anything at this point, including the lowest of D ranks, if it meant he could do something other than teach a bunch of kids.

Finally, the door to Inoichi’s office opened and the nameless shinobi left. Naruto stood up and entered the room and sat down next to Tsunade and Itachi.

“See, I’m here just as promised.”

“You seem tired Naruto, did you not sleep?”

“I slept like a log actually, I’ve just been up since shit-o-clock this morning. I don’t even think the sun was up when Shika dragged me out of bed for a spar. So, what's the verdict doc? Am I still a liability, or emotional time bomb?”

“For now, you’ll be cleared for C-rank and lower on solo. To take higher ranked missions, you must have Shika, your dad or Kakashi with you as well as one other chunin or jonin ranked shinobi. For the C ranks you can get away with just one of the three. 

Now, I know today is your birthday and there’s a huge party for you tonight, but there’s some things we need you to think about over the next couple of weeks. Shikaku has tossed your name into the hat, so to speak, to take on a genin team. Before you complain, let me finish.He wasn’t the only clan head to do so. We’ve all seen the way you work with the kids, and Iruka has done nothing but sing your praises for the work you’ve done with the academy students.

If you’re still adamant about not being a teacher, then Tsunade and Itachi have other offers for you. Itachi, you start.”

“We already discussed your future with ANBU, but I would like for you to give it some consideration. Your abilities would be crucial on some missions we’ve had to put aside due to not having the right shinobi. You’re already aware Shikamaru has still been with ANBU, having to stick only to solo missions because he refused a different partner. Shisui has been itching to get the both of you on his team, and if you choose to don the mask again, that’s where you’ll both be placed. I won’t accept an answer until two weeks from now.”

“My turn, first of all, if you don’t start dropping in to see me soon I will hunt you down and drag you to my office for tea after I beat the crap out of you. Now that we understand each other, I put your name to the council to start training under me. You would learn how to address the paperwork, conduct meetings for village affairs, collaborate with the Alliance Council, etc. Don’t look at me like that, I hate that stupid hat and I don’t plan to wear it for ever. 

You’re still way too young to take over for me now, so I’ll make Kakashi take his turn under the hat for a few years until you’re ready. Should you accept Shikaku’s offer or Itachi’s, it will buy you some more time, either way you’ll still be training with me when you aren’t on missions.”

“Why are the three of you doing this to me? Am I being punished for something? I hate to break it to you but my answer will still be the same in two weeks, No. If you wanna threaten me with taking me off active duty until I agree, don’t waste your breath. If you do that, I’ll apply for citizenship in another village, and don’t think for a second I wouldn’t be accepted at any village. I know for a fact Gaara would take me in a heartbeat. So would Kumo, Kiri, and Ame. Hell I could legally return to Uzushio anytime I want to and none of you could stop me.

The only reason I worked with all those kids was to give myself something to do. I don’t want the responsibility of the lives of other people’s kids in my hands for missions. We all know the rank of a mission doesn’t matter. A D could easily become A rank or higher, and if I’m out on a mission with three kids as back up and something happens to them, it would break me. So tell Shikaku-sensei my answer is no.

I might actually reconsider ANBU if I can still partner with Shika on Shisui’s team, but I can damn sure tell you there’s no way in hell I will take the hat. I saw what that kind of responsibility did to my dad. Ungodly hours, even worse levels of constant stress, sitting behind a desk doing paperwork all damn day would kill me faster than taking Kyuubi from me. Not to mention I would never see my friends and family. 

Honestly if you want someone to take the hat from Kashi, turn your eyes to Tachi or Shisui. No one in this village is more loyal than those two. Not too many people would even consider attacking Konoha with an Uchiha under the hat. Not to mention the Uchiha clan is the largest in Fire country, and are spread out over the entire country. We’d have eyes and ears on every border of the country, so if there was someone stupid enough to come after us, we’d know before they could get across the borders. 

Now, if we’re done with that can you please tell me whether or not I need to call in on one of my many favors for new citizenship? I have a party to attend even if all I really wanna do right now is go destroy a training ground or two.”

The three adults were stunned to say the least. Inoichi had figured Naruto would be upset about all this, but he didn’t expect Naruto to go off on a tirade.

“I think we should call an end to this meeting. I need to talk to Naruto alone.”

Tsunade huffed in anger and stormed out of the office, Itachi right behind her slamming the door shut.

“I gotta say Naruto, I don’t understand nor do I appreciate this hostility. First of all, let's address your threat to leave the village. If you did attempt to leave, you’d be captured and locked up before you could set foot outside our boundaries. Secondly, even if you did manage to get out of the village, there are protocols that everyone in the Alliance agreed to when it was formed. No village or country is allowed to harbor another village’s jinchuriki outside visits and official business. So if any of them did take you in, it would be grounds for all out war against that village by all other villages. I doubt you want that on your head.

Now is all this anger and hostility a result of last night?”

“No it’s not. Actually has nothing to do with that. You told me to come in this morning to discuss what our next step would be. You never told me I would be walking into an ambush. You knew full well what today is and what it means to me, you knew that I have a hard time being around people on this day, as witnessed over previous years. Hell I don’t even want to attend my own party, but I plan to suck it up and go because everyone will be there and I don’t want to let them all down. 

Only thing I wanted to do today was visit mom’s grave, then go home and spend some time alone with Shika. Once it was time to go to the party, I would have gone for a few hours to thank everyone and then gone back home. Now, are we done here? I would like to go visit my mom and then go home for a few hours before I have to force a smile and pretend to be happy go lucky for all those people.”

“Go.”

Inoichi waited until Naruto was out of earshot before he sent a message to both Minato and Shikamaru to meet him in Shikaku’s office. Then he stood and left for the hokage tower walking a little faster than he normally would.

About twenty minutes later, he met up with Minato and Shikamaru.

“What’s this all about Inoichi? Your message seemed urgent, is Naruto alright?”

“I honestly don’t know. He literally went off on myself, Tsunade and Itachi. Even went as far as to threaten leaving the village.”

“Dammit you idiots tried to force him to make a decision on his future didn’t you? Dad I told you to wait until tomorrow for that shit.”

“Language and tone, Shika. I sent that in weeks ago, so it wasn’t my bright idea to spring it all on him today.”

“Did you at least think to make it sound like he had a choice or did you threaten to take him off the roster? That would be the only reason he’d mention leaving the village.”

“We told him he had a choice! Hell we even told him he had time to decide. He was the only one to bring up going off active duty. He was the only one even raising his voice. He was damn near screaming at us. I know this day is hard on him, and I get why. I don’t want to sound heartless but he is going to have to learn to cope better. He can’t be out on the field if he’s that emotionally unstable. 

He’s an adult now, and we’ve all lost someone before. Some people in this village have lost more than others. Sora and I have a number of tiny headstones in the Yamanaka cemetery for the numerous tiny lives we’ve lost over the years. I do understand he never knew his mother before she died. I’m sorry but it’s time for him to grow up and start learning how to deal with loss in a better way.”

“You do realize the attack with Obito happened on his birthday right?”

“No actually I wasn’t aware of that. If that’s the case then he definitely shouldn’t be back on active duty. I asked him if his anger and hostility had anything to do with that and he said no. Therefore he lied about his emotional and mental state. Should I label him compromised and have him brought in?”  
“You do that and he really will leave regardless of the consequences. If he said it wasn’t about the Obito incident, then it wasn’t. I don’t think it’s just about Kushina, however. What did he say when you asked about the cause of his anger.”

“Kept emphasizing the date, and then went on to say he didn’t even want to attend his party but was going to because they all came to see him. Then asked if he could leave to visit Kushina’s grave and go home for a few hours.”

“We were so busy this morning I didn’t even notice he was anxious. I noticed it at the welcome home/birthday party we had last month. When Naruto is upset about something, he doesn’t like being around large groups. He’s been looking forward to this for weeks, so I thought he’d be okay. Figure out what to do about the party, I’m going to find Naru so he’s not alone.”

Shikamaru stormed out, ignoring his father calling out to him, and slammed the door behind him.

“Of all the things he had to get from me, he got my pigheaded temper. We’ve utterly spoiled these kids.”

“I’d say. If I’m out of line here Minato, tell me and I’ll back off.”

“No, Inoichi. You were right. I’ll let them be for now, then I’ll have a talk with both of them. We can’t cancel the party at this point, since everything is already set. If Naruto still feels the same after I talk with him, then we’ll just tell everyone he isn’t feeling well. Gaara and his other friends will be here for a few weeks so he’ll still get to see them before they leave.”

It didn’t take long for Shikamaru found Naruto. The blonde was leaned against the tree next to his mother’s headstone, eyes closed and cheeks wet with tears. He didn’t say a word, just walked over and sat beside his boyfriend. Neither spoke, it wasn’t necessary. Just having the brunette next to Naruto was enough.

After a while, Naruto opened his eyes. They were red and swollen from crying.

“I’m in a lot of trouble now. Baachan and Tachi-nii probably hate me, too. Was your dad mad?”

“It would take more than a dumb rejection to make him mad. I doubt they hate you babe, might be disappointed at your behavior, but not hatred. As for you being in trouble, well… You didn’t help yourself any. Dummy you can’t keep acting like this on your birthday. I know, you wish she was here. If you keep getting like this, they’ll never clear you for duty. You’ll be lucky if that’s all they do. 

And what’s with threatening to leave the village? Really Naru?”

“I know I know, they just pissed me off Shika. They’ve been hounding me since I got back about my future and no one seems to accept ‘I don’t know’ from the former hokage’s son. I’m happy with what I have now. I might think about a genin team at some point, but there’s no way I want to be hokage. Someday, I want us to have kids. And the kind of life the Hokage has, isn’t suitable for raising a family. I’d never be home. I know you wanted your dad’s position, and you should still take it. Who knows, maybe I’ll change my mind.”

“You do realize the hokage title doesn’t have to be worn by only one person right? I was going through some of the First’s scrolls and notes that Tsunade-san kept. Originally the position was meant to be held by one representative from each of the founding clans.”

“So three people? Really?”

“Mhm, Senju, Uchiha and surprisingly enough, your dad’s clan, Namikaze. Didn’t realize he was from a clan.”

“Ah yeah, they left the village after the First died. A few stayed behind and they were my dad’s part of the family. He’s barely a branch member though. If it’s not just me, I might be able to do it. Does it have to be only those three clans?”

“Well the scrolls didn’t say, but they also didn’t say all three had to be represented. Did you have someone in mind?”

“Yeah I do, but I’ll worry about it later.”

“If you really don’t want to attend the party, we can just stay home and relax. Just have your dad tell everyone you’re not feeling good.”

“Nah, I’ll go. I’ve missed everyone and besides, I need to learn how to get through this shitty day without throwing a tantrum. I don’t think my mom would like it if I just gave up and hide from everyone, every year.”

“According to my dad, she probably would have beat your ass and dragged you kicking and screaming to the party then proceeded to embarrass the hell out of you by showing off your most embarrassing baby pictures.”

“Hah, yeah that sounds like her. I do want a nap before we have to go. My little fit earlier drained me. Carry me home?”

“Hell no, that’s your punishment tonight. You have to walk on your own.”

“Nooo! Shika don’t be so mean to me!”

Shikamaru ignored the whining and discreetly nodded at Minato and Itachi as he passed their hidden forms. Naruto never even noticed their audience amongst the trees.

“I believe nothing more needs to be said, sensei.”

“I agree, Itachi. They really are growing up too fast. You do realize you are or Shisui are going to be one of the three he names right?”

“It had better be Shisui, or I’ll end up feeding your son to my crows…”

“That would be an interesting fight. I’ll have Genma start the betting pool; Uchiha vs Former Hokage.”

“That wasn’t funny sensei.”

“It wasn’t a joke Itachi. Very few people are aware I have a summons, yet you are one of those few. Unless you want to end up as food for him, I suggest you not harm my son.”

“Of course sensei. Shall we leave now? I still have to tease Sasuke until his blush becomes permanent.”

Minato laughed as he and Itachi flashed to their respective homes.

Shikamaru stood in the kitchen making tea unaware he was being stalked. The oblivious deer was about to become prey for the hungry fox watching him from the couch. Naruto bit his lip as he watched Shikamaru’s lean muscles bunch and flex under his lightly tanned skin. If he attacked his boyfriend now, it wouldn’t be breaking the rules. His dad said they had to wait until his birthday, he never said they had to wait until after the party.

Thanks to Kakashi’s early gift to him, he had a pretty good idea what would go down when the two finally did it, and surprisingly he was afraid of it. If it was Shikamaru, he knew he’d be okay. And, after an embarrassing conversation with Izumo, he knew to expect a little pain at first. 

“Be sure to use plenty of lube and put a lot of time into prep work. Not only does it feel amazing, but it will help make things easier for you both, and it will hurt less for you. I’ve seen that boy in the jonin showers, don’t growl at me kid he’s kinda hard to miss, and if he gets any bigger when he’s aroused, you’ll be grateful for the prep.”

Yeah that conversation had been a nightmare. Better with Izumo than his ‘parents’ though. He really didn’t need to know which one of those two bottomed. Naruto nearly choked on his tongue when he noticed he’d been caught drooling.

“See something you want, Naru-chan?”

Naruto gurgled as he watched Shikamaru walk toward him, noticing the slight bulge in the low slung sleep pants the boy was wearing. Shikamaru smirked before licking his lips and caged Naruto’s head to the back of the couch.

“Why are you blushing, babe? What kind of naughty thoughts are going through your head?”

“Hn, I wonder. Before you try to eat me alive, gimme a sec.”

Naruto went under Shikamaru’s arms and took off for the stairs to the loft, the Nara heir hot on his heels. He knew all about the gift Kakashi gave Naruto as a gag. Only, he was planning to put it to good use tonight. Shikamaru caught up to Naruto, but the bathroom door shut in his face. Shikamaru growled and rattled the door knob.

“Naru, stop playing around. Don’t hide from me, if you’re not ready then we won’t…”

Slowly the door opened and Shikamaru froze. Naruto was in the tub, naked and two fingers sank to the second knuckle inside himself. His eyes half open and glazed, face flushed light red blotches over his chest and shoulders. What stirred Shikamaru even more was the sounds spilling from the blonde’s slightly open lips.

Naruto ripped out a long deep moan as he slipped a third finger, his hips bucked and his legs trembled. Shikamaru’s knees buckled and he dropped to the floor and crawled over to the tub, entranced by the ethereal beauty that was Naruto in this moment. Naruto must have finally noticed his audience, because he stopped moving and was about to pull his hand away, but Shikamaru grabbed his wrist.

“Don’t, please don’t stop.”

The harsh desperation Naruto heard in Shika’s already deep voice, went straight to his erection and his whole body spasmed. If the boy spoke again, he knew he’d cum. The look of pure hunger and need in Shikamaru’s blown out eyes caused a whimper to slip past Naruto’s lips. Unable to help himself, he pulled his fingers out and reached his hands out to Shikamaru.

“Shi..ka need you.. Please”

Shikamaru forced himself back to his feet and he lifted Naruto out of the tub and carried him out to their bed. He lowered the blonde onto the sheets and knelt down to devour those red swollen lips. Naruto fisted his hands in Shikamaru’s shoulder length hair, trying to pull him closer.The brunette groaned and rolled his hips into Naruto’s thigh. The younger teen gasped into their kiss at the solid feel of Shikamaru against him. That was going to hurt, but he really couldn’t bring himself to care.

Naruto let go of Shika’s hair and ran his hands down the Nara’s chest to reach the waistband of his sleep pants. Shikamaru’s skin was scorching under his fingertips, and when his finger grazed the skin beneath Shika’s navel the muscles tensed and flexed. Naruto filed this away for later as a sensitive spot to explore.

Before the two could get any further, a loud banging noise came from the front door. Praying that if they ignored it, whoever it was would go away. No such luck. Pakkun appeared down in the living room and laughed.

“As amusing as human mating is, I’ve been told to break it up. If you aren’t dressed and outside in 5 minutes Kakashi and Minato are breaking down the door. I’m out, the smell is nauseating in here.”

Pakkun was gone in a flash. Shikamaru groaned and actually whined as he collapsed to the bed, Naruto just started laughing.

“Well at least it was Pakkun and not Kashi. And we got a warning first.”

“This is no time to laugh, Naru. They can kiss my ass, I need a cold shower before I can go outside again.”

“You’re not the only one. Can we still call out sick and not go?”

“At this point, I doubt it. They’ll know we aren’t sick. Let’s get dressed before they really do barge in here. The thought of them coming in has made the shower unnecessary.”

Naruto agreed and got up from the bed. They both quickly dressed and were in the kitchen drinking tea when the door flew open.

“Ever heard of knocking?”

“We did actually, you must have been sleeping so soundly you didn’t hear it.”

“No actually we were about to be…”

“Shika! You did not knock Kakashi-sensei, you attempted to beat the door down. Luckily I thought of fortifying the locks and seals on all the doors and windows. When you couldn’t kick the door in, you sent Pakkun. We’re dressed and there’s still hours until the party. What do you want?”

“I was told to make sure you were okay. Your dad said that if I felt you weren’t up to the party I had to let him know so he could let everyone know you wouldn’t be coming. Now, I have no clue what happened earlier this morning to cause so much tension among him, Inoichi and Itachi, but something tells me it has something to do with your attitude.”

“Actually my dad has nothing to do with it. Inoichi, Itachi, and Tsunade have everything to do with it. Don’t really want to bring it up again, so if you wanna know the details ask them. As for the party, I said I was going so I’m going. You already killed the mood anyway. Knowing this village and parties, everyone has already started showing up.”

“Oh and Kakashi-sensei, if you or any of your ninken say one word about what Pakkun popped in on, they will be finding pieces of your bodies littering the Nara property for months. No that’s not a threat, it’s a promise. Come on Naru let’s go make an appearance at least.”

Kakashi had the good sense to keep his mouth shut and followed the two teens out the door. He needed to have a little chat with Minato about the man’s knack for knowing exactly what his son is up to at any given time. The blonde knew exactly what Kakashi would find when he was sent to the cottage to “talk” with the kid.

Eventually, they reached the festival grounds and met up with Minato and the others. Naruto shot a very nasty glare at Itachi, his fist clenching and unclenching. Sasuke noticed the tension in the air and chose to act on it. 

“Okay what did we miss? Dobe are you being a pain in the ass again?”

“No, your brother doesn’t understand the concept of asking and options. Imagine my surprise when your dad was more lenient with the clan kids having a choice. I expected that kind of shit from Baachan. Honestly, Itachi was still better than Inoichi was.”

“Would you prefer I leave Naruto? It was my belief that I did in fact give you a choice. I specifically told you to take two weeks and think it over before coming to your decision. Your hostility towards me is misplaced.”

“It might have been, if you hadn’t joined the other two in cornering me and ganging up on me. My appointments with Inoichi were supposed to be private and confidential. Not open to spectators, so I believe my anger and hostility was rightfully placed. 

Dammit I had finally calmed down and was starting to have a decent day, now this shit is getting dragged out again. Leave it alone, if anyone tries to make me talk about shit, I’ll go back to the property and stay hidden until everyone leaves again.

Gaara, I’m sorry. It’s good to see you again, I’m glad you made the trip. Would you and Shukaku be up for a full spar later? He won’t have to hold back and neither will you.”

“Of course Naruto, it would be a pleasure. Let’s see if we can find Temmari, she said she had something to show you.”

“Naru, I’m gonna see if I can find my dad for a match. Meet up with you later at Akimichi’s stall, yeah?”

“Yep see ya Shika.”

The remaining group turned glaring eyes to the Uchiha brothers.

“Well that happened. Any reason you felt the need to antagonize him, Sasuke?”

“I wasn’t trying to, I just wanted to know what my idiot brother did this time.”

“I was not even aware Naruto would be there this morning. I had simply come by to give Yamanaka-senpai my reports on ANBU and ask his opinion on my offer for Naruto. He has every right to be angry at senpai, but he has no right to divert his anger to me.”

“My dad can be an idiot at times honestly, but I know he would never cross the line with confidentiality for any reason.”

“He said Tsunade was there too, why would she be there?”

“I can answer that. She’s been hounding all of us to find someone to replace her as Hokage. She had come by my office to see if I had nominated anyone. She had only been there a few minutes before Naruto arrived. She barged into my staff meeting so the kid didn’t know she was there. The only thing I was supposed to discuss with him was information both Tsunade and Itachi already knew. I had no intentions of mentioning anything personal or private. 

I explained why those two were there and that Shikaku had put in a bid for Naruto to take on a genin team, which is no secret. Hell the whole village has known. Itachi went first, told Naruto to take his time and really think about his offer. Then Tsunade gaver her ultimatum basically and all hell broke loose.”

“So it was Lady Hokage who pissed him off?”

“Seems that way. She’s been trying to pass on the title to someone else since she was named Hokage. But to put Naruto in that kind of position when he was already frustrated over something else, was just plain reckless.”

“Well whatever the cause, I say we let Naruto-kun be for a while. He already has an issue with his birthday as it is, throw in being cornered and harped at like that is bound to make anyone mad. I’m surprised he actually showed up.”

“I agree, Hinata-san. We’ll leave him be and when he’s ready to join us, he will. Just keep in mind not to ask him anything about it. And just to keep the peace, don’t ask what he wants to do with his future.”  
They all nodded in agreement and went back to helping get the party going.

Naruto and Gaara sat atop the Hokage Monument and enjoyed the breeze. Everyone had known Temmari had stayed behind in Suna. Gaara decided Naruto needed to get away from the crowd for a while.

“Konoha is truly a beautiful village. And the view from here is amazing.”

“Yeah, this is the best look out spot in the entire village. Suna has it’s own beauty too, especially during the rainy season. I miss the smell of the desert flowers in bloom.”

“Hopefully you’ll be able to visit for the solstice festival this year. Granny Chio planned a garden of moon flowers for the closing night of the festival.”

“With everyone pissing me off lately, I doubt I’ll be cleared to leave the village any time soon.”

“What has your temper so erratic? It’s not like you to let things get this bad, Naruto.”

“Honestly, I’d wager it’s a mix of everything. I’ve been going to sessions with Inoichi-sensei about all the shit from my past, being confined to the village for so long, not getting any real time alone with Shikamaru. We haven’t even had a date since we’ve been back home. If it’s not my dad and Kakashi, it’s Itachi or Inoichi or the damn clan members.

Shika goes off on solo missions during the day, but he’s so tired when he gets home in the evening he barely has time to shower and eat before he crashes. I don’t know Gaara, maybe I just need a vacation which is stupid because I only just got home from traveling.”

“You weren’t traveling for fun. Training, missions, trying to rebuild the Uzumaki clan. Try to enjoy the party tonight, then try talking to Itachi and see if you and Shikaku can take some time off and come to Suna. You won’t be disturbed there, and you’ll be able to relax for a few days.”

“Yeah that sounds like a good idea, if Itachi doesn’t kill me in his office.”

“I doubt he would do such a thing. You are important to him. Just tell him what you told me. He might still be disappointed but I’m sure he’d understand.”

“The only one I really don’t want to see tonight is Baachan. I love her to death, but she won’t stop hounding me about taking her place. She isn’t the only one either, a lot of the clan’s elders have been trying to con me into it. I heard you’re gonna put on the hat soon, when did this occur?”

“Before my last birthday. The village council was firmly against it, and my father promptly told them to remain quiet. He feels I’m ready for the position, though I believe I am still too young for it.”

“I think you being young gives you an advantage. Even at your young age, you have experience in diplomacy among other things. If it wasn’t for you, Suna wouldn’t have been able to secure the trade routes through mountain country. Times are changing and it’s time the villages change with it. It’s the era of the younger generation after all.’

“That’s true. For what it’s worth, I think you’d make a great leader. It’s because you don’t want it that you’d be perfect for it. Honestly I don’t see you in that position alone.”

“Yeah that’s the plan for later. Right now, I just want to go on missions and learn everything I can before I make any decision about the future. Well I can see the lights coming on down there so we should probably head back.”

“You have plenty of time to make those decisions Naruto. I believe you are right, let’s head back.”

Naruto and Gaara headed back down the path to the village. Shikamaru joined them at the base of the path, he linked arms with Naruto and nodded a greeting at Gaara. The three continued quietly until they reached the massive crowd of people. Naruto spotted a familiar head of red hair.

“Nagato! I thought you were somewhere around the Land of Tea?”

“I was, Jiraiya-sensei met up with me and informed me today would be your birthday. Konan and I turned around and headed for Konoha. You look better than when I last saw you, a bit more tired though.”

“Been a rough day, but I’ll be okay. I’m glad you could make it? How’s Konan doing?”

“Ask her yourself, Naru-kun. I’m behind you.”

Naruto laughed and spun around. He wrapped his arms around the smaller woman, and lifted her up into a secure hug.

“Damn it’s good to see you again! Look at you though, you’re about ready to pop! When are you due?”

“Sometime next month is the guess. Nagato didn’t want me traveling but I wasn’t going to miss your birthday.”

“Crazy stubborn woman. I’m glad though, I missed your cooking!”  
“My cooking is horrible, but I heard you spent over a year with the toads. That would make anyone miss my cooking.”

“Yeah, Ma and Pa said you need to come visit more too. Nagato, Konan, this is Gaara from Suna and Shikamaru of the Nara clan. Guys, this is my cousin Nagato and his wife Konan. These two kept me out of so much trouble during my training away from the village.”

“Thanks for keeping an eye on this idiot. He’s special to me for some unknown reason.”

“You have my thanks as well. Naruto-kun can be a right handful on the best days.”

“Wow, I feel so loved. Have you guys heard anything from Karin?”

“Not recently, but we were there a few months back. They’ve been working hard building the village back up. If I remember right, they were trying to elect a clan head to represent them. Hence why Nagato decided it was time to leave again.”

“Heh yeah sounds like him. Any issues with Kumo or Kiri?”

“No surprisingly. I mentioned to the Mizukage and Raikage that you were helping, they sent supplies and aid to help rebuild the village.”

“Good, I brought up in the last council meeting that Konoha would be supporting the rebuild. I also might have mentioned that any attack on Uzushio would be considered an attack on us.”

The group laughed and continued the light conversation. At random times, people came up and hugged Naruto. Ino stopped in and attached herself to his other arm and put her arm around Gaara’s waist.

“I hate to be rude, but can I please sneak the birthday boy away for food and fun? His presence is being requested on the dance floor.”

“But of course. It wasn’t my intention to steal his attention.”

“I’ll remember that Nagato!”

Naruto laughed as he danced with all the little ones from the village, then he was stolen by Kurenai and Anko. Both women were utterly scandalous and used Naruto like a stripper pole. It was all in good fun, so he played along. Running his hands up and down their sides and letting them grind on his legs.

Asuma looked like he was torn between killing Naruto or laughing his ass off. Shikamaru simply laughed when Anko groped Naru’s ass and the blonde sqawked.Hinata came up and asked Shikamaru for a dance, and he agreed. It was nice to have some fun with friends every now and then. He looked over to where he’d seen his mom and nearly fell over laughing. Yoshino, Mikoto, Sora and Reina were seriously getting down on the dance floor. He never knew his mom could dance. Ino tapped his shoulder while she danced with Gaara and pointed over to his dad. Shikaku looked like Shikamaru had when he caught Naruto in the tub. 

It was then that everyone saw who the women were dancing with. Minato and Kakashi were each spinning two of the women back and forth between the two. Everyone laughed and cheered as the wives took a bow before joining with their husbands.

Naruto slapped his dad and Kakashi on the back.

“You dogs! I didn’t know you could dance like that Kashi!”

“Blame Kushina and Mikoto. They tried their hardest to make sure us ‘genius’ kids knew the important things. Apparently that included dancing.”

Kakashi shrugged but he could see the faint smile on the man’s lips. One of the many Yamanaka kids stood on Inoichi’s shoulders and gave a yell to get the attention of the crowd.  
Inoichi smiled once all eyes were on him.

“Okay folks, it’s time for the presents and food. Find a place at one of the many tables while the plates are brought out. Once everyone has eaten their fill, we’ll start letting those with physical gifts come up and give them to Naruto. Yes yes starting with the children. Dig in folks.”

Naruto was dragged by Mari and Mili to a table in the center of the others. Shikamaru pouted when all the other chairs had been filled by kids from each of the clans. Everyone laughed and Ino proclaimed that was the kiddie table. Naruto took it in stride and took the only empty seat at the table. Shikaku dragged his son to a table with Kakashi, Minato himself and Yoshino, Nagato and Konan. Gaara joined Sasuke at the Uchiha table. 

Reina and Chouza walked out the back door of one of the Akimichi restaurants both balancing huge serving trays loaded with plates. They served the kids and Naruto first. Reina kissed the blonde’s cheek as she passed. 

Shikamaru watched with a soft smile as Naruto let the Uchiha twins and one of his own cousins feed the blonde. They got more food all over his face than in it but he just laughed and encouraged them to keep trying. Naruto might complain about teaching, but he knew how much the blonde loved kids. For just a moment. Shikamaru allowed himself to wonder what Naruto would be like with their own kids. That made him wonder if they would adopt or take on a surrogate or two. He knew he’d need at least one heir for the clan, but did Naruto want a biological kid of his own?

He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard Naruto cry for help while he tried to escape about thirty tiny cake covered hands. Eventually the clan moms took pity on the blonde and rescued him from the pint sized demons. Shikamaru could picture Kurama rolling around in laughter at the blonde’s predicament. He was tempted to himself.

Finally, the food was finished and all the plates cleared away. All of Naruto’s little students lined up in front of his table each one carrying a small wrapped gift for the blonde. The first package he opened was a new scarf. Bright orange with little foxes woven into the material. It actually made the teen cry a bit. He hugged the little girl and thanked her for the precious gift. After that, he received more thoughtful gifts like that. More than likely their parents picked out the gifts and the little ones just gave them to Naruto.

At the very end of the line, there was a tiny little boy with dirty blond hair and dirt smudged on his face. He looked so out of place from all the other kids that it made Shikamaru sit up and pay more attention.

“Dad, who’s that kid at the end?”

“Huh? Oh either they let him come or he snuck out. He’s an orphan. Kid lost his parents to a mission they were on. He had been living on the streets, but the council put him in the orphanage right around the time Naruto came home. The poor kid was being bullied and Naruto jumped in and put a stop to it. He’s been watching over the kid ever since.”

Shika watched as some of his own clan’s kids tried to pull the little guy in front of them but the boy just shook his head. He watched as a nun from the orphanage stood behind the tables with an angry look and motioned for the boy to get to her, now. The Nara stood up and walked the few steps to the boy. He knelt down and held his hands out for the kid.

“Hey bud, you have something to give Naruto right?”

The little boy nodded and held up a small box, poorly wrapped in brown paper tied with string. Simple and crude, but Shikamaru knew it would mean the world to Naruto. Shikamaru picked up the tiny boy and carried him on his hip, as he walked past the line and right up to the table. He sat next to Naruto and put the boy on his knee.

“This little guy was hidden behind all the other kids. Almost didn’t see him, but he has a present for you too, Naru.”

“I was hoping you’d be here Yui! What’cha got there?”

Yui, so that was his name, handed the box to Naruto. And as predicted, Naruto’s eyes teared up and he carefully unwrapped the box. He opened it up and inside the box, was a little painted clay fox figurine that surprisingly enough looked a lot like Kurama.

“Aw thanks Yui! It looks just like the fuzz ball. Aww he likes it too bud. I’ll put this on a keychain and hang it from my pouch. Come ‘ere and give me a hug yeah?”  
Shika helped the boy climb from his own lap and over to Naruto’s. Tiny arms that were thin and, deep breaths Shika don’t make a scene, bruise covered arms. Naruto shivered a bit feeling how cold the boy was. Shikamaru waved down one of his cousins and whispered something to her, she nodded and left. When she returned, she had a brand new coat that she handed to Naruto. The blonde mouthed a thanks to the girl, she smiled and nodded before leaving.

“Hey bud you’re freezing. Here let’s put this on you okay? Don’t worry no one will take it away. Hey Yui, I bet this big lug didn’t tell you his name did he? Yeah he’s kind of an idiot sometimes. His name is Shikamaru, but I call him Shika. He’s really nice, and he’s a strong shinobi like me. If you ever get scared or those bullies come after you again, you can go to Shika and he’ll keep you safe okay?”

Yui nodded and hugged Naruto tighter, not wanting to let go. Naruto just let Yui cling to him as he finished opening the last of the kids’ presents. Shikamaru flagged down Reina and asked for an extra plate for Yui knowing the kid hadn’t been there for the meal. She took one look at the boy and nodded with a firm look on her face. She dragged Choji and Choza with her into the building. More than likely she was sending them out to get warmer clothes and shoes for the boy.

Instead of having all the adults in attendance bring their gifts up, the clan kids went around with wagons and gathered them all up to be taken to the Nara estate so Naruto could go through them later. Everyone could tell the birthday boy was about to blow over the state Yui was in. Little did the nun know, two black masked ANBU were standing on either side of her to take her over to T&I as soon as Inoichi could sneak away.

As if waiting for the signal from Naruto, when the blonde gave a short nod, the nun was grabbed and silenced before the ANBU disappeared. Inoichi excused himself and said his goodbyes to Naruto, who waved him off with a knowing look to his eyes.

The party started winding down, and Yui had been taken off with Sora and Mikoto to be bathed and checked out for serious injuries. Redressed in proper winter attire and properly fed, Yui was brought back to Naruto who didn’t release the boy for the rest of the night. The current civilian council walked up to the table they were sitting at and Teuchi spoke.

“What would you like to do, Naruto?”

“For tonight at least, I want him going home with someone who will take care of him. Until we know who at the orphanage is doing this to him, I don’t want him going back. Tomorrow I’ll get Shikaku-sensei to call an official meeting to discuss the orphanage. Technically it’s under the jurisdiction of the shinobi council since it’s funded by missions, but it’s run by civilians so I think both councils should be present.”

“I’m already two moves ahead of you kid. Yui will be leaving with Yoshino and I tonight, and the Yamanaka’s have agreed to keep him until the investigation is over. Just need Teuchi-san to sign off on the investigation, which will start first shift tomorrow. The roster will be posted in ANBU barracks at 0600.”

“Thanks sensei. Yui, wake up now bud. This is Shikaku-jisan. You’re gonna have a sleep over at his house tonight okay? Don’t worry I’ll come by to see you before I go home. You don’t have to be afraid of him, this is Shika’s dad. And his mom Yoshi-san is very nice, and she’ll probably give you sweets when you get there. Will you be good for them?”

Yui nodded and sniffled but reached his arms out to Shikamaru. Shika smiled and lifted the boy into his arms.

“I’ll take him to the main house with mom and dad. You go talk to the boss and the captain. Meet you at home?”

“Yep, be sure to leave a light on for him. I’ll see you soon.”

Shikamaru and his parents left for home, and Naruto waited until only himself, his dad, Kakashi, Itachi, and Shisui were left.

“Tachi, you were right. My anger wasn’t directed at you, and I had no right to take it out on you either. I apologize for my rude behavior.”

“All is forgiven Naruto. And don’t worry, yours and Shikamaru’s names will be on the top of that roster, but only if you promise here and now that you will not attempt to kill anyone connected to the incident.”

“I will handle talking to the other kids and leave the adults to Shika and Shisui-taichou. Consider this my acceptance. I’ll come by to sign the papers and pick up my mask when I come for the briefing.”

“Understood. Good to have you back, Fox.”

“I’m glad you accepted the offer to join my team, Naruto. Other than this investigation, we don’t have any current missions so after this you’ll be like the rest of the team and on break. We only take on specific missions like this. Had a nice chat with that red headed friend of yours that’s banging my precious nephew. He said something about extending an invitation to you and Shikamaru to visit Suna. I’ll file for the leave in the morning. 

I think a little vacation time will be good for you. Now, business talk over. Let’s get to a more personal matter. Can you introduce me to your friend Hinata? Is she seeing anyone?”

“Pfft saw that coming. She’s not actually. She’s the Hyuuga clan heir though so good luck with that.”

“Hush Shika. Of course I’ll introduce you. Hinata is a sweet girl but don’t underestimate her. She can kick my ass if I don’t go into chakra mode. She’s also whooped Kakashi and Neji, so I wouldn’t advise crossing her.”

“That just makes me like her more. I like a good strong woman.”

“Yep they’re made for each other. Also if you want to date her, it’s not her dad you have to worry about. Neji and Hanabi will be the guard dogs you have to get past. Oh, while I’ve got you here taichou, I need to talk to you at some point before I leave for Suna.”

“Sure, we’ll meet up at the shrine once we’re done tomorrow. Now get going kid, the team will meet up outside the Hyuuga property since the orphanage is behind their compound. Be easier if we could go through their grounds.”

“I can give you permission if it’s needed. Hello Itachi-senpai, Naruto-kun.”

“Hinata you angel! I keep forgetting your still ANBU! Your dad won’t mind if we meet up on the grounds?”

“Naruto, you saved Hanabi’s life, my father would paint all the trees around the village orange if you asked him. I know Shisui-senpai’s team is running point, but may be included as well? I’ve been wanting to do something about that horrid place for a while now. I haven’t but only because it would cause trouble for Itachi-senpai.”

“Of course Hinata-san. You and Neji are both on the roster. Your byakugan will be invaluable for this investigation.”

“If you agree, we can have the teams meet up by the dojo at 0830. I can have Hanabi set up a temporary medical station in the dojo if permissible.”

“That would be perfect! Oh would it be okay if Mikoto-obasan help with that? We have a stock supply of bandages and basic first aid medicines.”

“Oh, yes. That would be fine, if there are others in your clan good with medical ninjutsu then have them come as well. The more help we can get the better.”

“Looks like he didn’t need me to introduce them after all.”

“I have a feeling the two clans will be joined before too long.”

“Yep, hope they invite me to the wedding.”

“I doubt they would neglect you, Naruto.”

“I’m going to head home, Tachi-nii. Tea before the mission briefing?”

“If you don’t mind Iruka joining us.”

“You know he’ll want to help right?”

“I plan on it actually. Any time we have a mission dealing with children, we bring him along because he can calm them down.”

“Haha! ANBU codename dolphin? Goodnight Tachi-nii.”

“Indeed. Goodnight Naruto.”

Naruto flashed to the Nara main house. He opened the door and heard a scream from upstairs. Worried Yui might have had a nightmare, he hurried up the stairs and stopped at Shikamaru’s old bedroom door.

Shikamaru was holding Yui against his chest and rubbing the boy’s now clean hair. The brunette looked up and motioned for Naruto to come in. 

“Hey Yui, did you have a bad dream?”

Naruto sat on the bed next to Yui, and the small boy turned around and flung himself at Naruto.

“Stay… Yui stay…”

“Aw of course buddy. No one is going to take you away tonight. You’ll be safe here Yui. Yoshi-san and Shikaku-jisan will keep the bad people away okay? You don’t have to be scared here.”

Naruto gently soothed Yui and rocked him slowly until the boy fell back to sleep. The two teens left the room and joined Yoshino and Shikaku in the kitchen.

“What happened?”

“It started when I tried to give him his bath. Naruto… That woman and probably another one, were horrible to the boy. Thankfully, Shizune assured us there was no sexual trauma done to the boy. But he has numerous healing bruises, some badly healed broken bones and the like. When I tried to bathe him, he started crying and hid under the counter.”

“I’m sorry Yoshi-san, I didn’t even think he’d be scared of women. I’m sure if he spends enough time with you, he’ll warm up to you.”

“That’s what I keep trying to tell her. Until he gets used to her, I can handle bath nights. We’ll need to talk to Inoichi at some point tomorrow. I don’t think it will be a good idea for him to move around from home to home.”

“Yeah, if you two are willing to let him, I think it’s best he stays here. Maybe after he settles in, he can visit with Sora-chan and the other clans.”

“Good thinking. You two go home. I can handle him if he has another bad dream.”

“Thanks sensei. Yoshi-san, don’t be hard on yourself. He isn’t actually scared of you, he just doesn’t know you yet. Give him time and he’ll be clinging to your leg in no time.”

Naruto kissed the woman’s cheek and she smiled at him. 

“I know that. I’m just worried about him. Go on shoo. Go home and sleep, you look dead on your feet.”

“Yes ma’am!” 

Shikamaru kissed the top of his mother’s head and hugged his father goodnight, before leading Naruto home. Once inside their cottage, Naruto all but ripped Shikamaru’s shirt and shoved the taller boy onto the couch. He straddled Shikamaru’s thighs and sat across his legs.

“Oh really?”

“We got interrupted earlier, and I can’t help that your voice turns me on. And apparently you’re sexy when you hold kids. Sue me.”

Naruto didn’t give Shikamaru time to respond, he bent down and captured his lips. When Shikamaru’s hands grabbed hold of Naruto’s hips, the blonde grinded down onto the brunette’s lap tearing a gasp from them both. Naruto ran his hands up and down the exposed skin of Shikamaru’s chest and abdomen, tracing his very defined V line. 

“We should really take this upstairs, Shika.”

Shikamaru held Naruto’s hips tighter and thrusted his covered erection against the plushness of Naruto’s ass. Naruto’s back arched and his head fell back with a moan.

“You really wanna stop now?”

Another roll of his hips had Naruto nearly screaming his reply.

“No! Shika please..”

Shikamaru took pity on his boyfriend and pulled back enough to remove Naruto’s shirt. His mouth went straight to a long tanned neck and latched on. Shikamaru moaned at the salty sweet taste of Naruto’s skin. He nibbled, sucked and kissed the one patch of skin until Naruto was shaking in his hold. Once he was satisfied a mark would be there in the morning, he moved his attention down to the firm defined chest before him.

Peach tinted nipples pebbled under his tongue as he lavished attention to each one, finishing with a nip on each bud. He grabbed a hold of Naruto and turned him around so the blonde was laying back on the couch, then positioned himself between spread toned thighs.

“What do you want Naru? If you need me to stop any time just tell me okay?”

“Ye..Yeah I promise.. Need you Shika please don’t stop.. I’m okay right now.”

Shikamaru continued his oral exploration of Nartuo’s upper body. He really liked the reaction he got when he dipped his tongue into the blonde’s navel. While he attacked this new hotspot, his fingers worked to undo Naruto’s pants and pull them along with his underwear down long tanned legs.

Shikamaru took a moment to take in all of Naruto’s delicious form. Naruto squirmed under the older teen’s smoldering gaze. He wasn’t shy by any means, but it was hard to be still when the person he loved more than anything looked at him like he was an all you can eat buffet of his favorite foods.

“Why am I the only one naked, Shika. That’s not fair.”

“It isn’t? Well let me fix my mistake.”

Shikamaru stood up and stripped his pants and briefs and let them drop to the floor. Naruto sprang up, wrapped on hand around the base of Shikamaru’s painfully hard cock and ran the tip of his tongue across the tip. Shikamaru screamed out a curse and something that resembled Naruto’s name when he felt plump kiss swollen lips wrap around the head. His hands went right to fluffy blonde spikes and his fingers tangled deep into the soft strands.

“Naru.. Fucking hell, where did you learn to do this?”

Naruto’s eyes seem to smirk in mischief as if to say ‘wouldn’t you like to know’ which told Shikamaru it was probably Izumo who told him what to do. He’d have to thank the man later right now he couldn’t even remember his own name. His eyes crossed when Naruto took more of him into that wet furnace of a mouth. It took everything in him not to thrust more of himself down the blonde’s throat.

“So damn good...Shit Naru..Sage your mouth is perfect!”

Naruto moaned at the praise, and Shikamaru stopped breathing. If he didn’t stop Naruto now, he’d embarrass himself. He tried gently tugging Naruto’s hair which only caused the blonde to moan again. Well that backfired. He grew closer with each passing second, finally he tugged harder and got Naruto off him just before he lost it.

“Shika, why did you stop me? Didn’t you like it?”

“Idiot… Of course I like it. Just didn’t want it to end yet. Come ‘ere.”

Shikamaru claimed Naruto’s lips again pushing him back onto the couch and dropped to his knees between Naruto’s spread legs. That’s when he realized they’d left the lube in the bathroom this morning. He huffed a laugh.

“Stay put. We left Kakashi’s gift upstairs this morning.”

Naruto giggled when Shikamaru flashed upstairs and back faster than he could keep up with. Shikamaru sank back onto his knees. He took Naruto’s hand and poured some of the lube onto his fingers.

“Show me what you were doing earlier. I wanna see it this time.”

“Shika, nooo! It’s embarrassing.”

“That was hot as hell! Now show me.”

Naruto realized then that Shika wanted him to show the brunette what to do. He bit back his embarrassment and rubbed the cool gel between his fingers to warm it up. He lowered his hand and rubbed his slick fingers over his hole, a soft moan escaped him. 

Shikamaru watched as if in a trance as Naruto slipped a finger carefully into himself, he gasped and stopped with just the tip of his finger in and waited until his body relaxed some. Then slowly he pushed more of the finger in, until it was in up to the second knuckle. He waited a moment again to get used to the feeling, then he began moving the finger in and out.

His breathing escalated with each time his finger breached himself. After several seconds, he pulled the first finger out and added a second before repeating the process. By the time he added the third finger, Shikamaru snapped and moved Naruto’s fingers out of the way. He took the lube and added some to his own fingers and looked up into almost black eyes.

“I’m gonna try it now, let me know if I’m hurting you okay?”

“Fine… It’s fine.. Slowly”

Shikamaru nodded in understanding, and just as Naruto had done, he started with one finger. He pushed in slowly and watched Naruto closely for any sign of discomfort or pain. He could feel the heat and tightness closing in around his finger. So tight for a moment he couldn’t move.

“Shika, Shika… ‘m ‘kay.. More”

He took the hint and pushed his finger in further, until his last knuckle pressed against Naruto’s clenching opening. The blonde was moaning like a lewd porn star before he even started moving. With a smirk he started pulling his finger until it was back to just the tip before pushing back in, Naruto’s back arched off the couch and mewled for more. So, Shikamaru obliged.

After a few minutes, Shikamaru had three fingers buried deep inside Naruto, who was now screaming Shikamaru’s name like a prayer. The boy was so close but he wanted Shikamaru in him first.

“Shika, Shika please… Please… in me.. Put it in now..can’t..”

“Me neither Naru, hold on for me.”

Shikamaru pulled his fingers out and got up on the couch. He pulled Naruto up onto his lap and held himself at Naruto’s fluttering hole.

“Take a deep breath Naru, push out so it doesn’t hurt too much.”

Naruto nodded and lifted himself up, bracing his hands on Shikamaru’s shoulders when he felt the head of Shikamaru’s cock press against him, he slowly started lowering himself down. He stopped once the head pressed in and winced. He took a couple of slow deep breaths to calm himself down and forced his body to relax. Once the burn lessened, he continued to lower himself until Shikamaru’s hips were flush with his cheeks. 

“Shika…”

“I know, it’s okay baby. Just relax and move when you’re ready. I’ve got you.”

Shikamaru used one hand to rub soft circles into the small of Naruto’s back, and the other he wrapped around Naruto’s flagging erection and slowly pumped his hand over it. Naruto moaned and whimpered as he tried to relax and adjust to the full stretch and burn of having Shikamaru inside him. He rested his head on a broad shoulder and willed his body to calm down.

Finally able to move without pain, Naruto decided to test the waters and lifted himself up slowly. The pull of Shikamaru’s flesh within him had him moaning in ecstasy again, then he let himself drop back down. Knowing it felt good, but not really knowing what to do, he started rotating his hips while going back down and clenching his inner muscles on the way up.

Shikamaru, at this point, was no longer capable of cognitive thought. Naruto felt so tight, hot and slick from the lube. Every movement he made had the Nara heir on the verge of coming or dying, he couldn’t tell which nor did he care right now. He wanted Naruto to move faster but didn’t have the heart to say it. The blonde was struggling as it was.

“Shika please! Need more but..”

“Shh I got ya, hold on tight.”

Shikamaru stood up and Naruto wrapped his arms and legs around him. Shka carried them both upstairs, almost laughing at the whine Naruto let out when he slipped out of the blonde during the trip. On the loft, Shikamaru lay Naruto down on the bed and climbed back between those tan thighs. Thankful to have the forethought to grab the lube, he poured some over himself and carefully rubbed it in before positioning at Naruto’s entrance, and thrusting back in.

In this new angle, he was able to reach deeper and managed to strike Naruto’s prostate. Naruto hooked his legs on either side of Shikamaru’s hips, and his hands went behind his neck. Shikamaru bent his head down and took Naruto’s lips before he began a steady rhythm of thrusts in and out of his boyfriend.

Naruto cried out into their kiss each time, his breathing erratic, his heart about to beat out of his chest. He begged Shikamaru to go faster and harder, he was so close. Shikamaru pulled up and repositioned Naruto’s legs over the crooks of his arms and started pounding into the blonde. Naruto screamed as the world went white and all he could hear was static for a bit. 

When he came, Naruto clenched down so tight, Shikamaru couldn’t move. Not that it mattered, because the sight Naruto made when he found his climax, sent Shikamaru crashing into his own. He cried out Naruto’s name as he released inside the blonde. His body shook until it could no longer hold his weight. At the last second, he rolled himself over, pulling out of Naruto.

They both rested a minute or two to catch their breath, then Shikamaru got up and went into the bathroom and got a towel and wet it to clean Naruto up.

“You wanna get a shower right quick? Maybe soak in the tub while I change the sheets?”

Shikamaru was worried that Naruto was still shaking. Had he hurt him? Was he too rough?

“Thinking too much Shika. I’m fine hehe. Can’t I just clean up in the tub this time? I can’t move my legs, I think they turned to jelly.”

Shikamaru barked a laugh and picked Naruto up. He carried him into the bathroom and laid him down in the tub. He turned the water on and put the stopper in. For good measure he added some salts to the water to help soothe Naruto’s strained muscles. Hopefully they didn’t over do it and he would still be able to function tomorrow morning.  
While the tub filled, Shikamaru changed the sheets on the bed and added an extra blanket since it was getting colder at night. Once the bed was made and the covers turned back, he went back into the bathroom and shut the water off before joining Naruto in the tub.

“Mm Shika?”

“Yeah Naru?”

“Love you.”

“I love you too, but don’t fall asleep in the tub idiot you’ll drown.”

Shikamaru shook his head when Naruto whined, then grabbed the wash cloth and carefully cleaned Naruto out and up. He let them soak until the water turned cold, then he got Naruto out, dried and redressed in his warmer pyjamas and tucked in the bed. Once he was sure the blonde was asleep he drained the tub and dressed himself then headed up to the roof to smoke. After a few puffs, he decided it was too cold for this, put out the cigarette then headed back in, where he joined Naruto in a peaceful sleep.


	21. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Classified Missions, a lot of code talk, the fight is on, Monkey sees more than he ever wanted, and ramen for dinner!

Chapter 18

Konoha Village ANBU HQ

“Alright listen up. We had some new intel delivered this morning by the Hyuuga clan. Their guards kept watch on the orphanage to make sure no one escaped during the night. The building almost looks empty, according to our new intel. More than likely when Yui and the nun didn’t return last night, it spooked the others and they decided to split.

We’re calling in all ANBU not out on missions for this and have also requested aid from clans. We will be working primarily with the Uchiha and Hyuuga clan. It is our mission to determine if it’s safe to enter the building, gain access into the building, and search for any clues that might lead to the whereabouts of the others and or find anything that can tell us what’s been happening in that orphanage.

Squads 2, 4, and 6 your mission will be to track and locate the others who fled during the night. We aren’t sure where they ran off to, or that they even did. Until we hear back from the infil team, we proceed under the assumption that they escaped. 

If and when you find them, you will send two operatives back to the Hyuuga compound and update us on the situation. Do not engage until you are told. If the situation is dire, and the lives of the children are in jeopardy, then and only then can you step in but make certain the two you send back are fully aware of the situation.

This mission is highly classified, and would normally be handled solely by squad two, however given the size of the search grid, we’ve had to use back up. Because of the sensitivity of this mission, we have called in ANBU veterans. They will be taking the lead on this mission, so team captains, be sure to inform them of any and everything they need to know about your squad.

Here are the veterans and the squads they will be aiding. Flame, River, and Dragon will be assigned to Squad 2. Moon, Silver, and Earth will be assigned to squad 4. Rose, Storm, and Lightning, you will be with Squad 6. If you chose to reveal yourselves to your assigned squad is up to you. 

Each squad will be given communication devices, a medinin, and may request any special tool that you will need to complete the mission. Gear up and we’ll head out to the Hyuuga compound to join the other teams and start the mission.

Fox, Jackal, Owl and Monkey, you three have a separate mission from the rest of your squad. You’ll be briefed on sight by Flame and Dragon. Dismissed.”

Naruto, Shikamaru, Hinata and Shisui pulled their masks down over their faces and slid the hoods of their cloaks over their heads. They already had all their gear and armor in place, so they headed out behind Itachi and the veterans. Naruto and Shikamaru already knew who Flame was, and secretly they were glad he would be with them.

The small group made quick work of the short distance to the Hyuuga compound, and Hinata directed them to a different location for their private briefing. Naruto recognized it as the clan meeting hall. Inside, they raised their masks and settled their gear in place.

“Alright since only one of you is unaware of my identity, I’ll go ahead and reveal myself. Please keep this to yourselves and use my codename. I am still active after all.”

Minato lifted his mask and Monkey smirked. Minato rolled his eyes and looked at Dragon.

“It’s up to you if you want to show yourself, but honestly I want to see their faces. I seriously doubt any of them would have pegged you for ANBU Black.”

The person behind the mask chuckled, and gloved hands came up to lift the black dragon mask. Mayhem ensued once the lifted mask revealed Uchiha Mikoto.

“Shisui, you’ll catch flies like that. Naruto, you don’t look so surprised. Why is that?”

“I saw the handle of your tanto on the way here.”

“Clever fox. Mikoto, I’ll leave the briefing to you.”

“We’ll leave out with the rest of the squads, but from here on out you’ll be in your black masks and we’ll have our own mission orders. Owl, your primary objective is to locate the children. I want your focus to be on their exact whereabouts. Your secondary objective is to find the fastest and safest route back to the compound. Dragon will be your partner on this and will keep any attackers off you.

Jackal and Monkey, your primary objective is to secure the location of the children once Owl has found them. Your secondary objective is to get the kids out. Work together with Owl and Dragon and get those children back to the compound. 

Fox and myself will create a diversion to allow the four of you and the children to escape. We’ll keep the enemy off your trail for as long as we can. Monkey and Jackal both know jutsu that allows you to traverse long distances in short amounts of time, but be mindful these kids are probably severely injured and terrified. If you can’t safely escort all the children back to base, Owl and Dragon can take the ones in greater need of medical help, and you two will wait in hiding with the remaining children. As soon as we can get away from the enemy, we’ll meet up with you and assist in getting the children out. To be on the safe side, we’ll use code to identify each other. If we get separated at any time from our partners, continue the mission as planned. Our rendezvous point will be the Hyuuga shrine. Any questions?”

“Just one. How long should we wait in hiding for you to catch up before we leave for the compound?”

“Wait exactly as long as you can. If the danger is gone and it’s safe for you to move the children, do it. We’ll all meet up back here once the mission is complete. Watch each other’s backs, stay focused on the mission. Masks down hoods up. Fall out.”

Naruto pulled his mask down and waited next to his father. Shikamaru and Shisui stopped long enough for Naruto and Shikamaru to touch fingers. In that small time frame, they spoke without words.

Be safe, complete the mission, come home.

Then, Monkey and Jackal were first to leave, followed by Owl and Dragon. Flame and Fox were the last to leave. Outside, they all joined with the rest of the teams and waited for the signal to start the mission. Itachi finished briefing the remaining squads, then gave the signal.

Fox and Flame flashed out and waited in hiding for Owl to complete her first objective.

“Radio silence is lifted. Keep messages short.”

“Copy that. Black Ops switch to closed frequency.”

Flame and Fox adjusted their radios and started sound off.

“Fox in position, awaiting direction.”

“Flame in position, awaiting direction.”

“Monkey in position, awaiting direction.”

“Jackal in position, awaiting direction.”

“Dragon in position, awaiting direction.”

“Owl, I have signs of life inside the orphanage. I sense six life forms. Two adults, four children. Orders?”

“Switch to Weasel’s frequency and report. Await further orders.”  
Owl switched frequencies.

“Owl reporting. Six life signs inside the orphanage. Two adults, four children. Black team in position and awaiting orders.”

“All teams, report position.”

“Team Alpha, 30 clicks north east of the compound.”

“Team Beta, 30 clicks north west of the compound.”

“Team Charlie, 30 clicks east of the compound.”

“Team Black 50 clicks north of the compound.”

“Team Yellow, 50 clicks south of the compound.”

“Team Black you hold the closest position, dispatch your team to the building. Your new objective is to engage any enemies and obtain the targets.”

“Affirmative, switching frequency to relay. Out.”

Owl switched back to her team frequency.

“Team Black is closest, we are to engage any enemies and exfil the children to safety.”

“Copy that. Jackal, Monkey, Fox engage the enemies. Dragon, you and I will get the targets. Owl hold back and watch for in coming reinforcements.”

“Understood.”

“Copy.”

“Got it.”

“Affirmative.”

“Will stand by.”

Fox, Monkey, and Jackal took off for the orphanage.

“Owl, what location are the targets?”

“Basement level, back right corner. I can see movement approaching from underground, and what appears to be another group of children inside what must be a tunnel. They appear to be moving the children underground.”

“I’ll alert the squads, the rest of you continue as ordered.”

Flame switched frequencies.

“All teams divert to the following location; 20 clicks east from the compound, 10 clicks south of the orphanage; targets are being transported underground. Owl detected 8 enemies, possibly more above and below ground. Team Black requesting permission for deadly force if necessary.”

“All teams approved for deadly force if needed, attempt capture first. Team Yellow rendezvous with Team Black and provide assistance.”

“Copy that. Flame out.”

“Affirmative, Moon out.

Flame flared his chakra and within moments, Moon stood beside him.

“Where’s your eyes, Flame?”

“Tree line 15 clicks back. Yours?”

“Treeline 15 clicks to the east. They should be synced with yours. What’s the situation?”

“Fox, Jackal and Monkey are engaging the enemy. Dragon is going in for the targets.”

“Bear, Cat, Rabbit; join up with Fox, Jackal and Monkey. Silver, assist Dragon with exfil. Earth, supply River and stand by for the wounded. Lizard, hold position, relay any changes with Owl.”

“Taichou, more adult signatures approaching the targets in the tunnel.”

“Which direction?”

“East, taichou.”

“Copy, keep those eyes on the targets. Moon can you get us in that tunnel?”

“Affirmative. Backup enclosing, eta around three minutes.”

“Correction taichou, backup has arrived. The area is completely surrounded, above and below.”

“Copy that Lizard, keep us informed.”

“Owl, what is the status on the infill team?”

“Infill is engaging the enemy. Dragon has subdued one enemy and secured the targets. Dragon, report progress.”

“One enemy down, targets are incapacitated. Poison is suspected, too many to move alone.”

“Place the kunai, Dragon. I’ll assist.”

“Copy. Kunai in position.”

Flame ported to the room where Dragon waited with the unconscious children. They each grabbed two, and Flame touched his foot to Dragon’s and ported back.

“Earth, River; These four are possible under poison. Exfill to base and have them treated.”

“Copy.”

“Jackal, report.”

“Enemies captured, two KIA. Orders?”

“Injuries or casualties?”

“Minor, taichou. No friendly casualties.”

“Proceed to the basement, continue to engage. Targets have been removed.”

“Copy.”

“Rose, what’s your status?”

“We have the enemy engaged, three fatalities so far. Numerous injured, the targets are secured but we’re not able to exfil at this time.”

“How many targets?”

“Eight targets, three unable to walk, two infants, four toddlers, two teens.”

“Room?”

“Targets were moved behind the fighting, positioned close to the tunnel entrance.”  
“Copy. Moon, Dragon come with me. Silver, wait for Earth and River to return then rendezvous with us outside the building.”

Flame ported them into the tunnel. He was going to be exhausted tonight.

“Flame, we have a situation.”

“Report, Fox.”

“Enemy reinforcements, and these guys are jonin level shinobi. Even with Yellow’s assistance we’re outnumbered. Orders?”

“Location is surrounded. Relay with Owl and have Monkey switch frequency to call for reinforcements. Are any of you injured?”

“Jackal has possible broken ribs, Monkey has a dislocated wrist, I am uninjured for the time being. My chakra was pretty much drained out by an enemy. Red chakra is on reserve if needed but will have to go Red to do so.”

“Keep it to level 2 unless necessary. Inform weasel.”

“Copy. Fox out.”

Fox dodged a kunai and flipped back several paces. Quickly he signed to Monkey and Jackal to switch frequency and did so himself.

“Weasel, we have a situation.”

“Report, Fox.”

“After securing the enemies, reinforcements ambushed our location when we proceeded to join the rest of our team below.”

“Status?”

“Monkey and Jackal are injured, I’m about to tap my chakra reserves. We’re outnumbered and requesting backup and medical assistance.”

“Enemy level?”

“Jonin, some S-class. Orders?”

“Go red level two. You have clearance for up to level 6, do not use unless your squad is in immediate danger. Alpha and Beta teams are moving in, eta two minutes.”

“Copy, Fox out.”

Fox used the bandages from his thigh to immobilize Monkey’s wrist. Then he combined their bandages to wrap Jackal’s ribs.

“Can you breathe?”

“Not too deep but yeah. I’ll use my shadows and escape to safety. Can you still fight, you two?”

“I’ve been cleared up to level 6 red so I’m good.”

“I still have plenty of chakra and I can use one handed signs but I’ll need to back out soon or I may lose this hand.”

“Weasel said two minutes, I can distract them long enough for you both to escape. Once reinforcements get here, I’ll head down and join up with Flame and Moon. One of you maintain open frequency, the other keep our frequency. Stay hidden, stay safe.”

“Got it. Give me the arm of your good side Jackal, I’ll support you.”

“When we step into the shadows keep your eyes closed. You won’t be able to see anyway, I’ve never pulled a sharingan user this far into the darkness so I’m not sure what it will do to your eyes.”

“Copy that, don’t want my eyes to explode or something. Relay the change to Weasel, we’ll inform Flame.”

“Understood. Fox to Weasel.”

“Go for Weasel.”

“Monkey and Jackal are no longer able to continue. I gave instruction for them to retreat to base for medical treatment while I distract the enemy. When reinforcements arrive, I’ll fall back underground and assist with exfil. Different orders?”

“None, proceed as reported. Good call Fox.”

“Copy, Fox out.”

Fox drew in more chakra and rapidly fired off miniature rasengans the size of shuriken towards the incoming enemy. Before he could go into red chakra mode, a ginormous sword came flying toward him and would have cut him in half if something hadn’t hit it and knocked it off it’s trajectory.

“Fox, report the situation.”

“Multiple enemy combatants ambushed my squad when we attempted to head down and join with our team below. Monkey and Jackal were injured and have retreated to base for medical attention. Weasel sent reinforcements, eta one minute ten seconds. I am to hold the enemy with Yellow until the reinforcements arrive, then I am to head to the tunnel to assist with target exfil. Cleared for level 6 red chakra.”

“Delay those orders. Flame and Moon have requested backup, report directly to tunnels.”

“Negative, Silver-taichou. My orders came directly from Weasel.”

Fox narrowed his eyes, this was not Silver. Unfortunately he didn’t have time to react as a hand forced it’s way through his abdomen. He coughed blood and sent out a distress call switching to all frequencies.

“Ranks have been compromised. I’m critically wounded, going full red chakra. Clear the surrounding area of all teams. I repeat, clear the area of all teams.”

“Go for Red Fox, worry about the enemy, I’ll handle the rest.”

“Copy that. You chose the wrong person to attack.” 

Fox closed his eyes and handed over control to Kurama. A huge explosion of chakra sent the enemy flying into a tree. The wound in his stomach healed instantly, and when his eyes opened they were red. Red flames engulfed his body and instantly nine flaming red tails appeared. All ANBU teams went underground to avoid backlash from the chakra.

Weasel met up with the barrier corp and directed them to erect a barrier over all of Konoha then a secondary barrier to hold the enemy in with the nine tails.

Everyone watched in a mixture of fear and awe as the tailed beast decimated the enemy with one blast. Amazingly, the enemy had been knocked out but not all were dead. In the blink of an eye, Kurama vanished and Fox fell to the ground, unconscious and still. 

Bear managed to catch him before he hit.

“Nice work, Flame report.”

“All targets secured and moved to the hospital. Our mission is complete.”

“Status?”

“No friendly fatalities, several injured.”

“Jackal, report.”

“Jackal is being healed, Monkey reporting. Thanks to Fox, our injuries were easily treated. Silver was found knocked out, but uninjured. River is currently MIA.”

“Update, Bear reporting. River is currently being treated for burns under watch of T&I. They have no memory of being part of the mission.”

“Status on Fox?”

“Completely drained of they’re normal chakra. Currently resting while being healed from within. Hokage-sama is speeding up the process. Should be fully healed after a few days rest.”

“Copy that, direct all remaining ANBU to round up the living enemy and secure them.”

“Already started, commander.”

“Well done teams, mission complete. Once all enemies have been taken into custody, report to base for debriefing.”

Collective response, “Copy and out.”

“You’re lucky kid, any more pressure and you’d have a punctured lung. Lay back down, he’s fine. Sleeping it off in the bed next to yours. The higher ups are all in a meeting right now to discuss what information we gathered and what’s to be done with the nuns and headmaster from the orphanage. 

The reinforcements we were fighting were missing nin for hire. So there’s a debate as to who actually holds jurisdiction in all this.”

“Do we know what villages they’re from?”

“Most are from Kiri, they sent word a few hours ago that they leave it up to Konoha as to the punishment.”

“Meaning they don’t want to claim responsibility for this.”

“Pretty much. We’ll be called in once Fox wakes up for a debriefing. Mission reports have all been filed so don’t worry about that. Rest while you can kid. You two impressed me today, not gonna lie either, I figured you’d both be more concerned with each other than you were the mission. I was glad to be proven wrong. Welcome to Squad 2 kid.”

“Thanks, and yeah most people think that about us. Fox would kick my ass if I ever even thought of abandoning a mission to fuss over him, and I’d do the same to him.”

“Good to see you awake, kiddo. How’s the ribs?”

“Hurts to breathe too deep, but healing. Status on Silver?”

“Moping like a kicked dog at being ambushed, otherwise he’s perfectly fine.”

“Prisoners?”

“Hah! Having a playdate with T&I. Ibiki was smiling like a kid with a new toy. Hopefully they don’t break too quickly or he’ll be in a mood.”

“Any idea of when Fox is being released?”

“According to Flame, as soon as he wakes up. Get some more rest kiddo, We’ll come get both of you when it’s time for the debriefing.”

Jackal nodded, already dozing off. Monkey motioned for Moon to follow him out into the hall.

“What’s the verdict?”

“After T&I finish stripping all of them of their memories, they’ll be handed over to their villages’ ANBU. How’d they do?”

“Exceeded my expectations and then some. They make a great pair, and will definitely be an asset. My concerns about their relationship were unfounded. Both took charge when needed, Jackal surpasses your ability for thinking on the spot and changing plans mid swing. I’m looking forward to seeing how they fair out in the open.

One thing that bothers me though, is Fox’s need to gain permission for expanding his chakra. Was that just because we were so close to the village?”

“That’s part of it. In order for him to participate on missions, we had to imply restrictions on his use of the bijuu. When he has to take on Red Chakra Mode, well you saw what it does to his body. We assess the situation and determine how strong he needs to become. In red mode, he can have anywhere from 1-9 tails. Each tail is another boost in his chakra and over all power. The more tails he uses, the more damage done to his body.”

“That makes sense then. When we’re going out on missions, I’ll need to know as much as can be disclosed to me on this.”

“I’ll have Weasel bring you into the know. You’re doing good captain, keep at it. Don’t be afraid to push those two. They know their limits and will tell you when they’ve reached them. When they do, push them harder. They can handle it.”

“Yes, sir.”

Several hours later, Fox and Jackal were both awake and attempting to devour their weight in food. Monkey had a look on his face that was torn between amused and disgusted. He’d never seen someone eat that much, that fast for the exception of Chouza and the other Akimichi clan members. He got that they needed to replenish their chakra but, did they have to behave like starved pigs?

Silver and Flame stood on either side of him, both using him as an armrest dammit, and they watched on in amusement. 

“I promise you, the food won’t wander off if you slow down you two. Thought we’d come by and let you know how the kids are doing.”

“How many made it?”

“All 12. They’ve all been healed, cleaned, fed and given proper clothes. Currently they’re being housed between the clans. We’ll worry about permanent homes for them once all the excitement settles down. Each of the clans have already expressed an interest in keeping some of them.”

“Not they Hyuuga clan, not unless they agree to give up that curse mark and let Nagato give them something else.”

“Hiashi has already agreed that since none of the children have byakugan, there’s no need for the seals to be used. The elders are already speaking with Nagato about making a new seal, so relax Fox. You will be given final say in any adoptions. It was decided by everyone in the meeting that this mission was organized based off your plans. Moon was quite smug for a while.”

“What about Yui?”

“Yui is madly madly in love with Yoshino, it’s quite adorable to watch actually. Apparently the kid has a major sweet tooth and she made his favorite treat. He’s been glued to her hip ever since. I have a feeling Jackal may end up with a new brother soon.”

“Pfft good. She can nag him instead of me now. What about the infants?”

“Sora and Inoichi have those two. She was helping out at the hospital when they were brought in. Dragon said the blonde took one look at them and started bawling before she picked them both up. Inoichi of course doesn’t have the heart to tell his wife no, so they may have found their home as well.”

“I definitely approve of both of them. Sorry we missed the debriefing, still can’t believe I slept so long.”

“You were in pretty bad shape when you went full red, from what I’ve been told. You’re damn lucky to be alive. You were attacked by Zabuza of the Mist, one of the 7 Deadly Swordsmen You two were quite impressive out there today.”

“Not really, I got careless and used too much chakra early on. The grumpy fuzzball has been harping at me over it.”

“You were very reckless, and deserve every lecture you get.”

“Yeah yeah.. I didn’t see you doing any differently so hush. You good to walk home?”

“I’m good, yeah. Probably won’t be shadow stepping for a few days though.”

“Gah! Don’t talk about that! I’m going to have nightmares for weeks! Ugh think I need to see Inoichi-senpai after that.”

“I told you to keep your eyes closed dummy. It’s not my fault you didn’t listen.”

“What happened?”

“Nope! Nu uh I am not talking about this, not even if you order me to.”

Jackal laughed, holding his still bruised ribs and groaned afterward. Flame was curious, but then again he probably didn’t need to know. Moon gave a knowing grin.

“Just to let you kids know, you’re under strict orders. Nothing strenuous for at least four days, that includes sex.”

“Damn you Moon! Ahh the images won’t go away! Where’s Inoichi-senpai, I need him to wipe my memories….”

“I’ll join you after I kill Moon and Jackal… Rasengan.”

“Oi do that away from me. Hey losers, I’m going home now.”

“Come on kid, I’ll walk with you. Flame, try not to kill ‘em or we’ll be homeless. Steady there Fox, get your land legs back before you start trying to run.”

“He wouldn’t really hurt Jackal would he?”

“Nah, now Moon on the other hand…”

“Wait up you two, and no I won’t actually kill either of them. That doesn’t mean I won’t get them later though.”

Four ANBU hobbled their way through the village to the barracks for a shower and change of clothes. Maskless and freshly changed, Minato and crew made their way to Ichiraku’s for dinner. Simple, normal, routine. 

“Hey it’s my favorite family! Grab a seat, boys and we’ll get those orders out. Sake on the house tonight.”


	22. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto and Shika go on vacation, Shisui gets permission to date Hinata, ANBU throws a welcome party for some uninvited guests, and assassins dance to the beat of their own drum er explosion!

Chapter 19

Konoha Village West Gate

“Sheesh mom, please get a hold of yourself. We’re only heading to Suna, it’s not like we’ll be gone that long.”

“But you just got home! Now you’re leaving again!”

“Yoshi-san please don’t cry. It’s only for two weeks, and besides you’ll have your hands full with Yui and the new Yamanaka babies. Plus you gotta keep dad and Kashi out of trouble for me too. That alone will keep you so busy you won’t have time to notice we’re gone.”

“I know, you’re both right. Okay, give me a hug Naru-chan. You too Shika, and Naru don’t worry about the dogs. I plan to take Yui out to get to know them.”

“Good idea, they could use a new playmate. Dad! Stop that, that’s not where I hid it so stop. Honestly Kashi, leash him or something. Guys come on, if we don’t leave soon it will only take longer to get back.”

“I told you we should have just left at dawn, we’d have been there by now.”

“Okay guys, we love you but we’re leaving now. Shisui-kun I expect an answer when we get back.”

“Brat if you keep bringing that up, I’ll bury you in the dunes! Now get going, and try to relax while you’re gone.”

“Yep, see ya later!”

“Hurry up Dobe. I want to get back before next year.”

“Shut it duck butt.”

The villagers watched as Naruto and crew headed out until they could no longer see the group. Minato sighed, resting his head on Kakashi’s shoulder. The younger man just kept reading his Icha Icha book which left Shisui to believe this was normal behavior for the blonde. He shrugged his shoulders   
“It’s gonna be so quiet around here now, and I barely know the kid. Oh, Hinata-chan! Good morning, how are you?”

“Good morning Shisui-kun. I’m doing well, how are you?”

“I’ll miss the brat, but I’m doing alright. Would you mind if I walk back with you? I have business with your father this morning.”

“Yes, of course. I wanted to thank you, Shisui-kun. You used part of our shrine during the mission, but you made sure it was protected and that no one entered. That means a lot to my clan.”

“Oh I didn’t do anything. I know how sacred the Naka Shrine is to my clan. Besides, it has such beautiful architecture I didn’t want to see that get destroyed. Oh, I heard Neji-kun was injured on his last mission, how is he doing?”

“He is fine, I think he’s more embarrassed about it than anything. Apparently one of his teammates had to remove his clothes to treat the wound. A female teammate.”

“Aww poor guy, I had that happen on my first mission! Of course I was a lot younger back then. Didn’t help she teased me for blushing the whole time.”

“Oh my, I’m sorry for laughing.”

“No no it’s fine. It’s why I shared it with you. You seemed a bit sad so I wanted to cheer you up.”

“Thank you Shisui-kun. I also wanted to thank you for including me in the mission yesterday. Very few of the ANBU captains even acknowledge me with Neji there.”

“That’s because you’re an heiress. Ino-chan has the same issue. She’s just more outspoken than you are. The others are afraid of what your clan would do to the department if something happens to you on a mission.”

“And you aren’t worried?”

“Well yeah, I’d be stupid not to. The thing is, I’ve seen what you can do on missions. Kinda wanna spar with you, to tell you the truth. You’re strong, but still graceful in your movements. It’s like watching a badass ballet. Oh sorry, pardon my language. I get carried away sometimes.”

“No please, it’s refreshing truthfully. I think that’s one of the reasons I treasure my friends so much. When I’m home everyone is proper and only speaks when necessary. When I’m with my classmates and friends, I can be myself. If it wasn’t for Naruto-kun and Ino-chan, I probably wouldn’t be able to talk to you. I was so shy and thought so lowly of myself.”

“Then I need to make sure I thank them for bringing out the real you. Why do you keep your eyes covered?”

“Hm? Oh some of the other ANBU have misconceptions about what the byakugan is capable of. I don’t want them uncomfortable around me.”

“Hinata-chan, you know there’s been other Hyuuga members in ANBU right? Yeah sure people don’t understand what you’re capable of, but that doesn’t mean you have to compromise yourself to make them feel better. It’s the same with my sharingan, no one really knows what mine can do either. Not that either of us would use our eyes against them. Don’t hide your beautiful eyes, Hinata-chan. They’re a part of who you are. Oh we’re here, do you know where I can find your father?”

Hinata blushed a bright red, but her smile would melt a glacier. Shisui could swear his heart stopped.

“At this time he’s usually sitting at the back door watching Hanabi-chan in her training. I’ll walk you back.”

Shisui followed Hinata’s lead and slipped off his sandals, replacing them with the slipper’s she offered him. They walked silently for a moment until they reached the open shoji door. Hinata kneeled and bowed her head.

“Father, Uchiha-taichou has arrived. Shall I bring tea?”

“Back already then? Of course thank you Hinata. Prepare refreshments as well. Hanabi that’s enough for today. Go begin your studies. Please, Shisui, have a seat and join me.”

“Of course, Hiashi-dono. I’m envious of your plum trees, they are magnificent.”

“A secret between us, those trees were gifted to the Hyuuga clan by the Uchiha many years ago. Your aunt comes by often to tend them. I keep telling her to take clippings back but she refuses.”

“That sounds like her. Ah, thank you Hinata-kun. Oh this tea is so fragrant! Ooh and delicious too.”

“Hinata prepare’s her blends. Best decision I made with Hinata was allowing her to study with other clans. She learned tea recipes from the Akimichi, and also from the Yamanaka. I think Mikoto-san has been the biggest influence on Hinata. I have never seen my daughter with such confidence in her abilities.”

“As she should, I must admit, I didn’t know very much about her abilities when I asked to have her as a part of my team. Like many others, I chose her based on name alone. Not a smart move as a captain I know.”

“I disagree. As someone who knows what having visual prowess means, you would know best of all how to better utilize her abilities. When did you first learn what she could do?”

“I watched her spar with my uncle actually. I had just returned from a trip to the capital and stumbled across them in the training arena. I couldn’t take my eyes off her, didn’t even realize my sharingan had activated. Her movements were precise and fluid, it was as if her bow staff was an extension of her, like she’d had it since birth.”

Hiashi held a knowing look in his smiling eyes and nodded his head.

“As if she were dancing instead of fighting. Very much like her mother that way. I was the same way when I first saw her mother fight.”

“Her skills while fighting are only part of it. Her kindness and tender hands when dressing wounds, the way her smile can disarm an army of shinobi. The way her eyes shine with happiness when she’s with her friend, or that sparkle of ferocity when she fights. Ah sorry..”

“Don’t be. I am quite familiar how you feel about my daughter. Naruto-kun found it quite hilarious actually. I’ve known you since you were barely old enough to open your eyes Shisui-kun. You hold a great deal of respect for our clan’s culture and traditions, and you have also been a big part of the peace we have between our clans. 

Should Hinata choose to court you, I won’t disapprove. As long as you continue to show her the proper respect she deserves as well as the companionship she thrives on, you will have my blessings. Though I warn you, Neji is far more protective of his cousin.”

“Haha yeah I’ve been warned already about Neji and Hanabi.”

“And that doesn’t scare you ANBU-san?”

“Hanabi!”

“Oh it terrifies me young lady. Very much in fact, but the two of you are Hinata-chan’s precious people. I would rather risk life and limb to earn your trust than tuck tail and run.”

“Why would you be afraid of me or Neji-nii? It's not like you know our abilities.”

“You’re right about that, but which is more worrisome? Someone in the bingo book that has their powers and abilities listed for all to read, or an unknown that you face on the battlefield?”

“I see your point. Why would you worry about gaining our approval when you already have father’s”

“It’s not so much as I need it, as I want it. I’m an outsider even though I’ve known your clan my whole life. Moreso, I’m an Uchiha. Our clan’s have been fighting each other since the foundation of Konoha, maybe even longer. If Hinata-chan chooses to court me, I don’t want anyone thinking it’s because of some political nonsense. 

But it’s more than that too. You are precious to her, Hanabi-san. You and Neji mean the world to her, and everything would be easier for her if we all got along. That’s if she even decides I’m worthy of the trouble.”

“Wouldn’t it be a conflict if she’s dating her squad captain?”

“Technically she’s not on my squad. ANBU works in squads of 2-3 and for bigger missions, 4-6. Hinata-chan is part of a different squad. We combined squads for that last mission because we were short handed. So no it wouldn’t be a conflict. Besides, I wouldn’t be surprised if Hinata-chan makes captain soon herself. She’s shooting through the ranks faster than I did.”

“Does that bother you? That she could outrank you at some point?”

“Hell.. I mean heck no! And no it doesn’t bother me that she could easily beat me in a fight. That’s one of the things I like most about her.”

“Well Neji-nii should we let him?”

“It wouldn’t matter, If Hinata-sama wants to court him then she will. I do have respect for taichou and I do trust him with Hinata-sama. So I suppose we can allow it.”

“Aw thanks you two! I’m glad to see your injuries were not too serious Neji-kun. When will you be cleared for missions again?”

“I leave in the morning for a mission with Itachi-senpai to the land of Snow.”

“Ah okay well be sure to pack extra rations, and stop by the clan armory before you leave. Uncle has some fire rocks that you can put inside your boots to keep your toes warm. Itachi doesn’t usually think of those things since he already has them in his tool pouch.”

“I was not even aware there were such things. Would it be alright if I go speak with him now?”

“Sure, right now he’s probably hiding from the twins out by the lake. Oh, I almost forgot. Take this with you, I doubt very seriously the guards would give you issues but the older women will try to hit on you. This will make them think you’re there for business and they should leave you alone. Hizashi-san barely survived Yuki-obachan.”  
“I remember that! My brother returned home with tattered clothes and so red faced I feared he was feverish! The older Uchiha women are truly amusing. Go on Neji, while you’re there I would recommend you stop in and see Master Kaido about fixing your chakra blade. Once the new seals are applied your chakra will be increased.”

“Yes Uncle, thank you for the advice Shisui-taichou.”

“Nagato managed the new seals then?”

“He did, and the elders were very impressed with his mastery of fuuinjutsu. All clan members will have them, hopefully by next spring. He mentioned working with the Uchiha as well?”

“Yes, we discussed it during the last clan meeting. Uncle decided it was best to start with our shinobi members, since we’re outside the village more often than the civilian members. Though I did bring up that all the clan children should have them. That scare with Hanabi-san really has me worried about all the clan children. If it isn’t kekkei-genkai it’s doujutsu.”

“I agree and that is what we discussed with Nagato-san. He will start with the children, then our shinobi members, followed by civilian members and finally the council. As most of our council members are elderly, there are some concerns that the seals may have adverse effects.”

“Pardon the interruption father, Shisui-kun. It’s time for lunch, will you be joining us today?”

“I would not wish to impose, Hinata-chan.”

“It’s no imposition Shisui-kun. I just need to let mother know so we can set an extra place.”

“Tell your mother we will have a guest. Shisui will be joining us. No arguments from you either. You’re welcome here Shisui-kun.”

“Then yes, Hinata-chan. Is there somewhere I can freshen up? I’m afraid I went right to the gates after morning training. I feel a bit under dressed.”

“Nonsense, Hanabi is still in her training gear and Hinata will be doing her afternoon training after the meal.”

“Would you like to join me for a spar, Shisui-kun? You had mentioned it before.”

“I would love to! Sparing against your father and uncle is fun, but it is nice to face a new opponent every now and then.”

“You’ve sparred with father and Uncle?”

“Many times, though it’s usually at one of the village training grounds. Going up against the Hyuuga Twins is actually how I activated my sharingan. They showed no mercy, most fun I’d ever had in spar.”

“I’m not sure what you could learn from me, but I will try my best.”

“Are you kidding me? There’s something to learn from every match, Hinata-chan. All I ask is that you don’t hold back on me. My taijutsu skills are pretty laughable and if it’s alright with you, I’d like to stick primarily with hand to hand.”

“Agreed, but only if you show me the same courtesy. Hand to hand is fine with me, so long as you don’t use your sharingan.”

“I’m wounded! I would never use my sharingan on a comrade! Well I may use it to record a sparring match with one of my teammates, but never against someone from another clan. It’s taboo to have record of another clan’s secret techniques.”

“Oh that would be alright. Itachi-sensei has already been recording my progress over the years. Sasuke-kun as well.”

Shisui and Hinata continued discussing their sparring match. Hiashi and Hanabi watched the two with knowing smirks. Lunch was a casual affair, the small group soon growing as Neji and Hizashi joined the meal and the conversation. Stories of past matches between the twins and Shisui had them all laughing and Shisui blushing furiously.

He didn’t mind the teasing though, especially since it made Hinata’s eyes glow with joy and happiness. He also knew he shouldn’t stare, but he couldn’t help himself. She reminded him so much of the starry night sky, reflected over a tranquil pond. 

After lunch, Hinata left to her room to change into her training clothes and Shisui warmed up his muscles outside with Neji. He was so caught up in his warm up, that he hadn’t noticed when Hinata and Hanabi joined them outside for Hinata’s warm up. Hinata was dressed in a mesh bodysuit, a pair of scandalously short shorts, and a cropped sleeveless hooded sweater. Forgetting he was still warming up with Neji, Shisui caught Neji’s hand to the right side of his head with a loud ‘Oof’ before being thrown a few feet and hitting the porch with a thud.

“Oh no, Shisui-kun! Are you alright?”

“I didn’t mean to hit you so hard..”

“That’s what happens when you lose focus on your enemy, ANBU-san.”

“Ow. I’m fine Hinata-chan, hurt my pride more than myself. Nice hit Neji-kun, and you’re right Hanabi-san. I should be more aware of my surroundings.”  
“Well that and you shouldn’t be drooling over my sister when you’re supposed to be warming up with nii-san. Can’t wait until she’s kicking your butt in the spar.”

“Hanabi! Behave or I won’t let Naruto-kun teach you anymore. I didn’t mean for you to get hurt Shisui-kun. Should I go change?”

“If that’s what you’re comfortable training in, then wear it. Please forgive me for staring, Hinata-chan. I’m only a poor poor man and you are quite lovely to my eyes. I will try not to stare if it bothers you.”

Hinata blushed, but her tiny, shy smile made the throbbing in Shisui’s face worth it. The two began their sparring match, quickly drawing the attention of many people. Eventually Itachi and Fugaku stopped in to see what the commotion was and were both glued to the match.

Hinata was poised for defense as Shisui bombarded her with attacks. With her graceful dance like movements, she deflected every attack. When Shisui ceased his attacks to catch his breath, that’s when Hinata struck.

“Eight trigrams, 64 palms.”

Shisui could see the attack coming, but he had no way to stop it. Hinata made sure to avoid his vital chakra points and only went for shallow muscle attacks. Coming to the end move of her attack, Hinata thought for sure she would win the match. Out of nowhere, Shisui called out her name and she was suddenly on the ground wrapped in his arms with him laying over. That’s when she heard the noises.

“Itachi, go after them. It seems some of the enemy got away after all yesterday. Neji, you stay behind and get your clan to safety. “Shisui?”

“I’m fine Tachi. Go, I’ll catch up. I need to grab my gear.”

“You may borrow anything you need from our armory, Shisui. Take what you need.”

“Hinata, are you able to fight?”

“Yes, commander. I’ll grab my gear and follow Shisui-kun.”

“Understood. Anyone able and willing, you are welcome to join us. Everyone, go.”

Hinata grabbed Shisui’s hand and dragged him to the armory.

“Shisui-kun why did you..”

Shisui pulled Hinata against his chest and bent down to place a soft kiss to her stunned lips.  
“I know that’s not really appropriate, but I’ve been wanting to do that all day. When we catch those guys, I would like to take you on a date. If you want.”

“I… Yes, I’d like that. First, we have to make it back from the mission.”

Hinata asked Shisui what he needed, and gathered tools and medical supplies for them both. They each changed clothes and geared up, pulling their masks into place. With one final adjustment of the borrowed tanto harness, Monkey and Owl flashed out of the armory and joined with the makeshift team.

“Go to open frequency first.”

“Understood.”

“Monkey and Owl have joined the party. Who has drinks?”

“Weasel has drinks, who has snacks?”

“Bear and Pig have snacks, who’s seen the guest of honor?”

“Oni has seen the guest of honor, where is the punch bowl?”

“Owl has the bowl, how many cups do you need?”

“Three cups. Who has straws?”

“Monkey has the straws, there is a new party guest. They seem to want drinks.”

“How many bottles?”

“Only one. Bear and Pig, will you share the snacks?”

“We have plenty to share, can you give us cups and straws?”

“We’re ready to begin the party. Start the music.”

Monkey and Owl took out four kunai each and tied wire and paper bombs between them. 

“You take left, I’ll go right. Don’t worry about the team, they’ll stay clear.”

“Right.”

Monkey sank one kunai into the tree, then jumped across two more and sank the other kunai into the last tree. Owl copied his movements, and they continued this until they had boxed in the enemy.

“Our guests are wishing to relocate the party to the basement.”

“Where is the basement door?”

“The door is under a boulder. Do we relocate the party?”

“No we keep the party here. Set party favors for our guests’ return.”

“I’ll leave something for them to remember us by. Owl, care to dance?”

“Start the music, Monkey.”

Monkey and Owl jumped down to the grass below both smiling behind their masks.

“You have the glitter?”

“Only if you have the streamers.”

“Then let’s dance for our quests.”

Monkey and Owl joined hands and twirled around the clearing, leaving black powder and camouflaged paper bombs scattered in their wake. Once they had covered every square inch of the grass, the two returned to the cover of the tree tops, several clicks away from the clearing. Owl and Monkey sat on a branch, their masks lifted, and radioed in to the team.

“The dance floor is ready, music is set to play. Shall we watch a movie?”

“Only if someone brought popcorn.”

There was a collective laugh over the radio as all other team members waited in the tree for confirmation. Sure enough, the boulder slid across the dirt below them. A covered head poked out of a tunnel and looked around. Seeing no one in the clearing, and nothing that seemed out of place, the figure climbed out of the tunnel. Two more figures followed the first.

Weasel waited just above the enemy’s tunnel opening, watching for the perfect opportunity. When the enemy had crouched their way to the center of the clearing, Weasel dropped a smoke grenade into the tunnel before he escaped the area of the clearing.

“Cue the dance music.”

“What do you think, Owl? Classical or something more modern?”

“Use modern, classical lacks a decent rhythm to dance to.”

“I agree, rock music it is.”

Monkey and Owl flew through the hands signs to activate the paper bombs, which then set of the black powder. The bombs that had been attached to the kunai were each activated one at a time before the entire clearing was nothing but a wall of black smoke and flames. As the enemy tried to escape, they were met on all sides by masked ANBU. 

The three unknown shinobi were captured and taken to the holding cells to be questioned by T&I. Silver and Flame had been called in to put out the fire and clear the smoke away from the village. While everyone else was working to put the flames out, Monkey and Owl were once again dancing, only this time they were bare foot and enjoying the spray of water forming a rainbow over their heads.

If anyone happened to notice two ANBU not wearing masks, dancing barefoot in the mist, they didn’t say a word.


	23. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Suna! Naruto and Shikamaru get settled in, Shika is so hot, nap time at Gaara's!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No warnings here, just a bit of a filler chapter with a look at our lovebirds on vacay! Honestly Naru-chan, vacation means relaxation not work!

Chapter 20

Suna Village

“Naruto-kun!”

“Temmari-chan! Damn I missed you!”

“I missed you too! Why the hell didn’t you visit me sooner? And don’t think I didn’t hear you were in Suna a couple years back but didn’t stick around! Just because Gaara isn’t here doesn’t mean you can’t stop in for tea!”

“I’m sorry Ne-chan! I was in a hurry! I was actually on a mission, that’s why I was looking for Gaara. We’re in Suna for two weeks this time, so there’ll be plenty of time for us to catch up! Plus Shika is with me this time! He’s gotten so much stronger since the last time you two saw each other. Maybe at some point we can all get together and spar like we used to!”

“Now there’s an idea. Well I won’t keep you, I know that trek across the desert is brutal on a good day. Let’s get you boys some place to shower off the sand and catch a nap before dinner. Where did you want them to stay Gaara?”

“Might as well put ‘em in my old apartment since I don’t use it anymore. That way they’re close by but won’t be bothered by people coming in and out all day.”

“That is acceptable. Be sure to drop in and greet father after you’ve settled. He’ll be disappointed if you don’t.”

“Of course! I’m sure once Shika is human again he’ll want a match with your dad. Lead the way Ne-chan!”

Temmari draped her arm around Naruto, complaining at how tall he’d gotten, and led the two exhausted teens to their temporary home in Suna. 

Once inside the apartment, Shikamaru takes the shower first while Naruto familiarizes himself with the kitchen. Sasuke had said he could rearrange the dishes and such to fit his liking. So far, it had been set up like his own kitchen back home. He decided to just leave everything as it was, and went to check the fridge. It was larger than the one he had at home, even had a special compartment for holding ice!   
Obviously, the appliance was empty as were the cupboards, so they would need to do some shopping. Naruto grabbed a notepad and pencil that was on the counter, and began writing down the things they would need. Not much, just a few staples and some extra treats to last them for the two weeks they’d be here. Just as he finished, Shikamaru came in with a towel wrapped around his waist and another being used to dry his hair.

“Shower’s free, I already set your soaps on the shelf and there’s fresh towels on the counter.”

“Thanks Shika. Sasuke said there’s a drawer full of different food places that deliver, so go ahead and order us something to eat. Maybe something light but filling, that walk through the desert heat has my stomach queasy.”

“Sure babe, maybe keep the water cool instead of as hot as usually make it.”

Naruto went up on his toes and kissed Shikamaru before making his way to the bathroom for his own shower. A cooler shower did sound lovely right now. He knew he had a sunburn on his neck and shoulders, he could feel the tightness of it.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru found the drawer and quickly scanned the menus. Deciding on a simple looking diner, he summoned a messenger owl that Sasuke had left for them to take the order to the restaurant. Figuring he should probably at least put some pants on, Shikamaru walked into the bedroom and pulled out a pair of lightweight pants and left the untied to sit loosely on his tired aching hips.

“Shika! Where’s the burn cream?”

“Sunburned again? I’ll grab it for you, finish your shower.”

Shikamaru walked into the bathroom and pulled the jar of ointment his mother had given them. 

“Hey Naru, when you're done, meet me in the living room and I’ll rub it in for you.”

“Thank you!”

Shikamaru headed back into the living room and sat down on the couch. After about five minutes Naruto came slinking in wearing his swim shorts, and Shikamaru laughed.

“Do I wanna know why you’re wearing your swim trunks?”

“It’s the only shorts I had to pack. I plan to go pick some up tomorrow. I would have come out in my boxers but I didn’t want to scare the delivery person. How long you think it will take?”

“Probably about five to ten more minutes. Get over here so I can rub this in for you. Does it hurt?”  
“Nah not really, just tight and itchy.”

Naruto sat on the floor between Shikamaru’s bent legs and sighed when the soothing ointment was applied to his burnt neck and shoulders. He was almost asleep when there was a knock at the door.

“I got it babe, you go get plates and chopsticks for us. I ordered barley tea for our drink, not really in the mood for hot tonight.”

Shikamaru stepped over the blonde and walked over to open the door.

“Hi there! You ordered two house salads with the soup of the day, dressing on the side and the grilled fish with two bottles of barley tea?”

“Yep that’s us, what’s the total?”

“650 Ryo please.”

“Here keep the change, have a good night.”

“Thanks, you too!”

“Jeez Shika, what did she kick you or something? You should be nicer.”

“I’m hungry and tired Naru, I don’t feel nice.”

“Let’s eat then we can get some sleep.”

Both teens sat at the coffee table and plated the food. Once all the containers were emptied, they dug into their food. Naruto moaned softly at the flavor of the fire grilled fish. Shikamaru’s answering groan showed he appreciated it just as much. Having eaten his full, Shikamaru downed half his bottle of tea and collapsed back on the couch.

Naruto laughed and gathered up the trash and dishes. In the kitchen he rinsed off the plates and chopsticks, leaving them to be washed tomorrow. He bagged up the trash, then walked over and woke up Shikamaru.

“Hey, don’t sleep out here. You’ll catch a cold. Come on let’s get to bed, you’ll feel better.”

Shikamaru stood on wobbly legs, and trudged himself into the bedroom and literally fell onto the bed. Naruto shook his head and pulled the sheets back and over Shikamaru’s lower half. He made sure the door was locked, and the lights turned off before climbing into bed beside his boyfriend. As he felt himself drift off, he felt a soft kiss on his neck, two strong arms wrapped around him and a drowsy, “love you”. “I love you too, Shika.”

The next morning, Shikamaru awoke with a groan. His arm was numb and he felt like he was wrapped in a furnace. Once awake, he realized it was Naruto. He smiled and pulled the blonde closer and tried to go back to sleep. Unfortunately, the urge to use the bathroom suddenly jolted him back awake and he groaned again.

“Naruto, wake up and move, I have to use the bathroom.”

“Nn.. Five more minutes Shika.”

“I can just lay here and go in the bed.”

“Ugh fine fine go already.”

Shikamaru chuckled and kissed Naruto on the cheek before rushing into the bathroom and closing the door behind himself. Naruto stretched like a cat and groaned when his joints popped. He could feel the slight pull and burn of overused muscle in his legs, which caused him to whimper slightly. 

The bathroom door opened and Shikamaru came back to the bed, wiping his mouth after clearly having brushed his teeth. Naruto sighed knowing he’d need to do the same and shoved back the covers. He rolled over to the side of the bed and sat up. His neck and back popped as he attempted to stand up, but a more noticeable pull in his thigh brought him back down on the bed.

“Shit that hurts! Next time we have a mission like that, no traveling on foot the next day. Shika carry me!”

“Stop whining brat. Go use the bathroom and brush your teeth, I’ll massage your legs when you get back.”

“Make us some tea would ya? I need caffeine if we’re going out today.”

Naruto hobbled to the bathroom, whining the whole time, and shut the door. Shikamaru headed out to the kitchen and put the kettle on to start the water. He grabbed the teabags that Sora-san had given them and put two into the cups he found in the top cupboard. When the kettle started whistling, he turned the heat off and poured the water into the two cups and allowed the tea to steep.

“Oi, tea is ready. We can start with the market and grab breakfast there.”

Naruto comes out dressed, toothpaste on the corner of his mouth.

“Sounds good to me. Once we finish with the market, I wanna stop in a clothing store close to the Kazekage building. Gaara said it’s still there and last time I was here they had a great selection of clothes for warmer weather.”

“Yeah that works. I’m going to send a message to the Kazekage and see if he has time later for a few matches. You want to hang out with Gaara and Sasuke while I’m out?”

“Figured I’d drop in on Kiba and his dogs for a little while. Might meet up with Temmari at some point.”

“Just behave yourself, last time you and Kiba were left unsupervised you set a barn on fire.”

“Oh come on! We were three, and besides if I recall correctly you were the one roasting marshmallows over that fire.”

Shikamaru just shrugged and finished the rest of his tea. He waited for Naruto to finish, then took both cups to the sink. Quickly, he washed the dishes from last night as well as the cups. After he dried off his hands and wiped down the counter, he grabbed his wallet and the keys to the apartment.

“Let’s head out then, don’t want to spend too much time in the market.”

Naruto nodded and followed Shikamaru out the door, locking it behind them. The walk to the market was peaceful, Naruto greeting a few people he remembered from his last visit. He spoke with one woman that Shikamaru had recognized from the market back in Konoha, he thinks her name was Nina. Naruto cooed at a toddler the woman was holding and Shikamaru smirked as the kid smacked the blonde on the nose. 

After a promise to visit later in the week, the couple continued on into the market. It was quite a bit larger than Konoha’s market, or at least it seemed that way since it was so spread out. Naruto walked from stall to stall taking things and putting them into bags that Shikamaru had picked up at the beginning of the market. Suna’s market worked more like a grocery store. You grabbed a number of bags at one end, and you filled them with whatever caught your eye. When you filled your bags, or got everything you wanted, you would take the bags to be weighed. You paid based on weight not each individual item.

This was a rather ingenious idea since here in Suna, the merchants were part of a guild or union. The money gathered at the end of the day would be divided equally among them. This way, no one lost business and they could keep the market going. If a merchant didn’t participate during the day, then they didn’t get a cut. 

“Find everything you wanted?”

“Yep! Just need to grab breakfast and then we can pay and head to the clothing store. Did you want to shop for something?”

“Not really, not all that familiar with the shops around here.”

“You okay Shika? You look kinda pale.”

“Yeah, probably just heat exhaustion. Don’t worry about it, I’ll be fine.”

“Nope come on we’ll eat at home.”

“Wha.. No you wanted to visit that shop, it’s not that far from here right?”

“If you’re not feeling well then we need to get you home. Take a cool bath while I make us a light breakfast. You can take a nap and see if you feel better later.”

“I can head back on my own dummy there’s no reason we should both be miserable.”

“Looking a little peckish there, Shikamaru. Still not used to the desert heat?”

“Kiba! What are you doing out and about?”

“On my way to the Kazekage building to pick up this week's ninken mission orders. Here, Nara. Take this and it will help you deal with the sun better. I also recommend picking up some robes like the locals, helps protect from the sun.”

“Thanks Kiba, how did Akamaru take to the desert?”

“Not so good at first, poor guy. Had to start shaving him down at the start of spring. Kept overheating and stayed sick. He’s used to it now, his hair started growing thinner and shorter.”

Shikamaru nodded and took the tablet Kiba had given him with a gulp of Naruto’s water.

“Hey Kiba, can we pick up some of those robes at that clothing store down the street?”

“That or you can just pick some up at the office building. They keep some handy for visiting diplomats and what not. I’m headed that way if you guys wanna follow. You can have your summons take those back to the apartment ya know.”

“We were going to grab something for breakfast before going back out again.”

“Nope come on, knowing Gaara and Kankuro they already have that covered.”

Kiba took hold of both Naruto and Shikamaru’s arms, and led them through the shaded parts of the village to the Kazekage Tower. Once inside Shikamaru felt a little faint, but was able to stay upright. Thankfully, the adobe buildings managed to stay quite cool inside, so he started feeling better. Kiba made a quick stop by the missions desk, then he directed them to the requisitions desk and picked up two sets of robes for both shinobi.

On their way to the living quarters of the tower, they ran into the Kazekage. He greeted them and made arrangements with Shikamaru for several games later that evening. He wanted to be sure the sickly looking teen made a full recovery first. Finally they reached Gaara’s apartment, where sure enough, Gaara was in the kitchen finishing up quite the spread. Kankuro was playing some card game with Sasuke, and Temmari was polishing a tanto.

“See, I told you. Look who I found wandering the market.”

Everyone looked up, and Gaara about had a fit at the state of Shikamaru. 

“Temmari can you grab some towels and wet them with cold water please? I often forget some people are sensitive to the sun and heat here. Kankuro will you dim the lights please?”

“It’s alright Gaara. I forgot that too. I’ll set him down on the couch to cool off for a bit.”

“It’s fine really. This happened the last time I was here too. After a couple days I’ll be fine again.”

“Just don’t overdo it man. Heat sickness is no joke, even people from here get it during the hottest times of the year. Temari usually has to stay indoors during August. The ones that have fair hair and eyes tend to get it the worst, so be careful Naruto.”

Shikamaru kicked off his sandals and let Naruto lead him to the couch. He laid back and Kankuro brought the towels in. One was rolled up and put under Shikamaru’s neck, the other was placed under his shirt on his chest. 

“Just relax for now, we can reheat some miso broth for you once the dizziness and nausea pass.”

The others sat around the table and kept their chatter light. They caught up on each other’s lives and how things had been going. Naruto told them about what happened with the orphanage, and Temari went quiet with an odd look on her face.

“We had something similar here a few months back. None of us could figure out where they were coming in from. Can you share some insight with us that could help?”

“I can send a message back to Konoha and let them know what you told me. More than likely they’ll tell us to work with you guys and compare notes. If it hadn’t been for two of the Hyuuga clan members, we would have never figured it out either.”

“We also heard from Nina about what happened in your marketplace. Let your investigation team know that we found a link between some merchants we’ve had issues with and the attempted kidnappings. They might be linked in your case too.”

“Naru, you're the lead investigator on this case. It’s up to you if you want to share info. Didn’t they tell you that?”

“No actually they didn’t. Well okay then. We dealt with missing nin, one of them was Zabuza of the Mist. We were wondering how they managed to get into the village undetected but now I have a theory on that. If local merchants are a part of this, that would explain how they get in and out. We just need to find out what the merchants know.”

“The Yamanaka mind walk jutsu would be a big help with that, but Ino is on assignment and Inoichi doesn’t travel outside the village much anymore.”

“He might for this though, considering he and Sora just adopted the two babies. I also think that one nun had something to do with. I asked Ibiki and Anko to look into it for me while we’re here. I can still put in a request for a copy of the investigation file for your investigation team.”

“That would be a big help. I’ll make certain to send a copy of ours to Konoha as well. We should probably send word out to some of the other villages to see if they’ve had similar issues.”

“We’ve been in contact with Kiri since quite a number of the missing nin that attacked came from them. I’m not sure what Inoichi-sensei shared with them though so I don’t know if they had the same kind of attack.”

“Well we can talk about this another day, you guys aren’t here for work. How are you holding up over there, Shikamaru?”

“Not 100% but feel less like I’m about to puke everywhere. Thanks for looking after me, guys.”

“It’s no trouble, honestly it would have been more trouble to have to explain to your dad that you died of heat sickness.”

“Seriously Shika, you have to speak up if you’re not feeling well out here. Hopefully you’ll do better with the robes. You ready for some miso, babe?”

“Yeah, it might help settle my stomach more.”

“Sit up and I’ll bring it to you.”

Naruto entered the kitchen and ladled a bowl of miso. He carried it to Shikamaru, who took it with a thanks. Shikamaru shooed Naruto back to the table with his friends while he stayed on the couch and slowly sipped the soup. It was surprisingly mellow and seemed to sit well on his upset stomach. Once he finished the bowl, he stood slowly and got his bearings before taking the bowl to the kitchen to rinse it. Normally he would just wash it but he didn’t think he could stand long enough.

Sasuke told him it was fine and had Shikamaru sit down at the table with Naruto. Temari put her hand to Shikamaru’s forehead to check his temperature and was satisfied to find it cool and no longer scorching hot.The teen was no longer in danger of keeling over, but it would be best for him to either go home and rest, or stay in the tower until night time.

“Think I’ll head back to the apartment and lay down, maybe take a nap. Maybe this evening when it’s cooler I can handle a better outing.”

“Everything will still be open in the evenings. Most shops and stalls don’t open until the sun starts to set, so there’s nothing wrong with staying in during the day while you’re here.”

“Nah , we’ll only be here for two weeks. I can pace myself by going out for a few hours at a time. I think it hit so bad today because of the trip here. Shouldn’t have pushed myself to go out so soon, but I’ll be okay after a couple days.”

“Shika, I should kick your ass. You were feeling bad last night and when we woke up, but you didn’t tell me?!”

“I didn’t want to worry you over nothing.”

“Idiot, heat sickness isn’t nothing! I’ll wait until you’re back at 100%, then I will kick your ass all the way back to Konoha.”

The rest of the group laughed at the look on Shikamaru’s face. The teen could face a horde of demons and not bat an eye, but when it came to facing a pissed off Naruto, he was scared shitless. Shikamaru sat back down on the couch, deciding to wait until after lunch to leave. He’d fallen back to sleep no sooner than he sat down.

Sasuke looked over at the older teen, then back at Naruto.

“Keep an eye on him Naru. If you both were part of that mission yesterday, then made the trip here, he’s probably dealing with more than just heat exhaustion.”

“Yeah he managed broken ribs and several bruises to his back. Idiot should have stayed in the hospital for a couple more days but he insisted he was fine. If I wasn’t building my chakra back up, I’d flash us right back to Konoha. The only reason he pushed himself was because of me. I needed the vacation and wanted to visit you guys, so he forced himself to make the trip so I wouldn’t be alone.”

“I can understand his reasoning, but it was a foolish move on his part. I can ask Granny Chio to have a look at him. She’s still one of the best healers we have here.”

“Thanks Gaara. Is it okay if he sleeps it off here for a while? I still want to do sightseeing and visit with Nina for a while.”

“Of course, but you should rest too Naruto. We all know you went full red chakra yesterday, and I know better than anyone how much of a drain that can put on your body.”

“Yeah that’s true. I just don’t want to spend my whole vacation sleeping.”

“You won’t, just give yourself the first day or so to rest. Once you’re strong enough to handle it, then go out and enjoy Suna. Besides, you know the best events happen at night here. Why don’t you and Shikamaru take the guest room and get some more sleep.”

“I can take your bags back to the apartment for you, I have to head over to Kiba’s place for a bit anyway. I’ve got mission orders from Konoha. Honestly I think Itachi is just punishing me for not staying longer, he’s such a brat.”

“Heh, which mission did he give you?”

“Tch, has me doing outpost checks for both Konoha and Suna. It will take me days to complete.”

“Not really, I can give you a cheat. Use a summons to work as a relay station and use the radio to call them. It’s what I do. If they don’t respond, then check that post. As for Suna, Gaara should know cheats for that.”

“I do. The same method will work for our outposts. I can give you our radio frequencies.”

“That will cut my time in half then. Thanks for that, gimme the bags and I’ll take these to the apartment.”

Naruto gathered up their grocery bags and handed them off to Sasuke. After a quick kiss from Gaara, Sasuke left. Kankuro helped Naruto get Shikamaru into the guest room, then he and Kiba headed out. Naruto got Shikamaru in the bed, then got in next to him and pulled the sheets over them both. Gaara turned out the lights and closed the door, then willed some of his sand to cover the gap at the bottom of the door and allow the cooler air to stay in the room.

“Sleep well my friends.”


	24. Bonus Chapter2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sooo Kakashi calls Minato old and Minato teaches his former student a lesson.... The guys at the missions desk will never see the two jonin the same way again... xD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to Lonelyas! My friend your words have inspired me and motivated me to keep this story going, I always look forward to your comments! Enjoy the steaminess that is MinaKashi!   
> Warnings: smut, cursing, grown men who think they're still teenagers apparently...

I’ll Show You Old

Konoha Village Nara Compound

“Hey Boss! You, Blondie Sr and Nara have been called for a meeting with Yamanaka. Oh and Nara, got word from Naruto that Shika-kun got sick.”

“Probably got overheated, shadow users don’t do too well in the desert. We’ll head out then, thanks Pakkun. Kashi can you grab Minato’s mopey ass?”

“I’ll get him. He needs to get up anyway, we’ll meet you there.”

Kakashi flashed back to their cabin, and sat on a sleeping Minato’s belly.

“Ugh, Kashi too heavy…”

“Yeah yeah get up lazy bones. We’re being called into Inoichi-senpai’s office.”

“Naruto? Are they okay?”

“Relax old man, mind your blood pressure. Shikamaru got overheated but it seems both boys made it safely and are doing okay. I have a feeling this has more to do with the attack on Hinata-chan. Get dressed, we need to get going.”

“I’ll show you old man, get off me so I can get dressed.”

Kakashi bolted out the door with an “oh shit” as Minato built chakra in his hand. With a smirk, the blonde got out of bed and quickly dressed in his usual jonin uniform. When he stepped out of the bedroom, Kakashi met him with a cup of hot tea.

“Peace offering?”

“I’ll accept it for now, but if you keep pushing your luck I will punish you later.”

“Promise?”

Minato snorted and ended up burning his nose with the tea. After a minor healing jutsu, the two made their way to T&I for the meeting. When they entered the meeting room, Itachi, Ibiki, Shikaku, Hiashi, Fugaku and Tsume were already in the room.

“So kind of you to join us, you two. Did we interrupt something?”

“Just morning coffee and Minato’s beauty sleep.”

“I don’t mind paying for renovations Inoichi…”

“At least let me get this meeting out of the way first. A few hours ago, we received a care package with a letter from Suna. The letter was from Naruto, and according to what he wrote, Suna had a similar kidnapping attempt. Same MO and we believe the same people were behind it. The package contained Suna’s investigation reports, notes on the evidence they gathered, and vital information we probably wouldn’t have gathered ourselves. 

According to Temari, one of their merchants was found sneaking in the kidnappers when they returned from another village. She informed in her report that there was no way to know where the enemy was hiding, or how long they had been sneaking in and out. And according to Naruto, that merchant we have down stairs could very well be connected to our own attack.

Suna is requesting a copy of our reports and evidence notes. The Kazekage is aware that some of the contents has information gathered by the present clans. I say we send them what we have as they did. If these two events are indeed connected, then we have a more serious issue on our hands. I’m putting it to a vote, since the information gathered came from members of your clans.”

“As the head of the Uchiha Clan, I Uchiha Itachi vote in favor. No clan secrets were documented in the reports, so there is no reason to not send it.”

“Agreed. I Hyuuga Hiashi vote in favor as well.”

“Well shit they sent us there’s first, if we refuse we’ll look like we’re hiding things from them. The Inuzuku clan votes in favor.”

“As chief interrogator, I, Morino Ibiki vote in favor.”

“As the second lead investigator, I Uchiha Fugaku vote in favor.”

“As team leads, Namekaze Minato and Hatake Kakashi vote in favor.”

“As clan head, I Nara Shikaku, vote in favor.”

“Well that takes care of that part. Naruto personally requested either I send someone from my department to use the Yamanaka Mind Walk on the Suna merchant, or we send someone from either ANBU or Ibiki’s department to bring the merchant here for the same thing. I only have one other person in my department that can use the jutsu, and she’s on assignment. So Ibiki, Itachi, what would you like to do?”

“It would probably be smarter to let ANBU handle escort to and from, and allow Ibiki’s department handle bringing the criminal in. It would draw less attention. Any objections, Ibiki-senpai?”

“Honestly, I doubt my own men would be overkill even with just one ANBU. I’d say send two of our best double trained shinobi with an ANBU escort. Either Kotetsu and Izumo or Genma and Hayate. All four are familiar with the attack, they’re known in Suna, Naruto can vouch for all four and if there were to be an attack, they can hold their own.”

“That makes more sense. I would choose to send Kotetsu, Izumo and Genma with Monkey and Owl from ANBU. Owl to take lead, as she is in line for promotion to captain. This mission would be the perfect opportunity to test her leadership skills. With your approval of course, Hiashi-san.”

“That’s proud news for my clan Itachi-san, of course I approve. Just don’t feel you have to promote her to make me happy, if she’s not ready yet then don’t promote her.”

“Of course. I’ll have Genma perform her evaluation. I worry Monkey would be harsh in evaluating her. He uses Ibiki-san’s criteria for the evaluations.”

“Yes, one of my cousins has been denied a promotion several times by Monkey. Though to be fair, the boy isn’t meant for leadership. He’s a bit too reckless.”

“Alright, so we now have a team. We can put in a requisitions order to get them supplied with what they’ll need for the mission. I’ll have the start date set for the end of the week, any objections?”

A collective “None”.

“That’s settled then. I’ll put together a care package for Naruto and Shikamaru, if any of you would like to add something just drop it by T&I and I’ll be sure to get it sent out. Dismissed.”

Minato and Kakashi were the first to leave, headed out to the Hatake property to tend to the ninken. Minato sighed and leaned against the gate with his eyes closed. Suddenly, a cold wet nose bumped his wrist and he opened his eyes and looked down.

“Yume-san, to what do I owe this pleasure?”

“You miss the pup, why let him leave if it troubles you so much?”  
“Ah, well it’s not that simple. He is my son, but he is also old enough to be on his own now. I do miss him, but mostly I worry about him. I suppose that’s a normal feeling for adults, we tend to worry over the younger ones.”

“This I do understand, it is the same for us. We worry over the pups until they leave the pack and join one of their own. If the breeding pair longs for a young one, they simply have more and the cycle continues.”

“Yes, I suppose it works that way with humans too. Human children are quite a bit different though. Whereas pups are usually able to separate from their mother’s around six weeks to one month, human infants take around 2 years before they can even walk on their own.”

“I can now see why most humans have smaller litters then. I would not wish to tend to that many human pups…”

“No, I don’t see that working well for me either. I could barely handle Naruto.”

“You do smell like the pup, are you his sire then?”

“I’m his father, yes.”

“If you are the one he takes after, I must advise you from producing more offspring.”

“Haha oh my, no worries there. Naruto’s mother passed the night Naruto was born, and Kakashi is male so no babies from him or myself.”

“You speak of her as if she left this plane when she passed, but that is not the case. She is often with Naruto, watching over the pup. Though more and more, she spends her time watching over the pups who had no home. She was the one who led the dirty boy pup to Naruto’s party that night.”

“I suspected as much. Kushina was never the type to give up no matter what, Naruto inherited that part of her. I’m surprised she left his side.”

“She no longer needed to do so. The pup has full control of the demon that resides within him, and he has his chosen life mate. Between the bijuu and the shadow demon, he is more protected than Konoha Village.”

“Shadow demon?”

“The Nara’s summons. The shadows that pulled Naruto into the darkness, that was the shadow demon. She is quite fond of the pup and tends to act without permission from the Nara boy, it’s quite entertaining.”

“How does she perform her duties as a summons?”

“She has a physical form, though she does not appear in it often. She would frighten the deer and terrify the humans of the village. If you wish to make her acquaintance, just ask the boy to summon her for you. You are not offensive for a human, she appear to you on her own. She is a similar type to Naruto’s kitsune familiar, so she can appear without a summoning. The scarecrow is looking for you.”

“Minato?! Are you alright? I’ve been calling out to you for a while now.”

“Sorry about that Kashi. I was just distracted talking to Yume-san. Did you need something?”

“Just wanted to know if you’re ready to go. You sure you’re feeling alright?”

“I’m fine Kashi, I promise. You know me though, I’m a worrier.”

“The kids are fine and will be home in a couple weeks. They will come home, Minato.”

“I know Kashi, I know. Perhaps I need a hobby or some kind of distraction.”

“As for a hobby, well you could always take knitting back up. The Yamanaka babies could use more blankets and booties. I would say gardening, but you’d probably just kill the poor plants. Now for the distraction…”

Kakashi leaned forward to whisper in Minato’s ear, but instead he nibbled and sucked on the sensitive lobe.

“I can provide a thorough distraction for you, Sensei.”

Minato shivered and but his lip to keep from embarrassing himself. It was not often Kakashi volunteered to bottom, but when he did he always addressed Minato as Sensei. If the man kept it up, the blonde would develop quite the complex.

“I do enjoy your distractions my love, but you really should stop calling me sensei in this context. Otherwise, every time someone calls me that I will end up with a problem you won’t always be around to solve. I could always..”

“The hell you will. You’re mine, Minato!”

Kakashi growled and hoisted Minato over his shoulder and sped them both home. The blonde just lay there over the muscled shoulder chuckling. He always knew his lover was possessive, but it was still rather flattering to here the man stake his claim. Made Minato feel wanted and loved. It was even funnier when others would provoke Kakashi by openly flirting with Minato, the man truly was a hound.  
Before the blonde knew it, he was thrown unceremoniously onto their bed. He landed with a soft bounce and a yelp of surprise. Kakashi’s eyes seemed to glow and his thin lips were pulled up in a light snarl, showing off his longer and sharper than average canine teeth. This feral side would normally have any man cowering in fear, but MInato found it arousing as hell. 

“I wasn’t suggesting I take another to bed, Kakashi. You know there’s no one else for me. Will you take me like a beast then?”

“I’d never cause you pain, besides, whoever said I wanted to take you? Haven’t we already proven one doesn’t need to top to be in control. Now strip.”

“Giving orders now are we? Very well, I’ll play along for now. Don’t need you ripping my uniform to shreds again.”

Kakashi growled again, but the sound was deeper and more lust filled. Minato took his time removing his clothes. He made sure to fold each article before placing them neatly on the dresser. Just to see what Kakashi would do, Minato left on his boxer briefs and laid back down on the bed, arms crossed behind his head.

Kakashi let loose a vibrating rumble of a laugh that sent shivers up and down Minato’s spine. The look that crossed deep blue eyes had Kakashi licking his lips.

“I can play games to Mi-na-to.”

Slowly, as if dancing to a seductive rhythm, Kakashi began to remove his own clothes. The first to fall was his vest, then his turtleneck. He teased the hem of his chain armor, but let it fall back into place. He teased the button of his black pants, before he slipped his own hand under the waistband to cup himself with a raspy moan. From slitted eyes, he watched Minato’s hips buck slightly and his smirk widened into a grin.

The button now undone, he slid the zipper down slowly and turned around. Minato groaned when the pants fell to reveal Kakashi had gone commando.

“You insufferable tease! And you call me a brat…”

“Mm you are. Need I remind you of your birthday last year?”

“I do, I believe you finally managed to tie me up successfully.”

“I still have those chakra ribbons if you want to use them. Now hush before I gag you.”

Minato snickered but stopped talking. Kakashi climbed onto the bed and straddled Minato’s hips. With a grin as evil as the kyuubi’s, and just as mischievous, Kakashi rolled his body and dropped his ass over Minato’s growing bulge, moaning lewdly at the feel of what he wanted so close to where he wanted it.

The blonde groaned and his hands gripped Kakasi’s hips hard enough to bruise, and then Kakashi pulled away.

“No touching Minato. You wanted to play games, remember. I think I’ll make you cum just like you are.”

“Kashi, you know better than tease me too much.”

Kakashi slapped Minato’s thigh and ground down again, smirking at the wet spot forming on Minato’s briefs.

“I’ll explore that little kink on your next birthday. I said no talking Minato.”

Minato white knuckled the sheets beneath him and grit his teeth as Kakashi slowly began roll his hips back and forth, the heat and weight of the man sitting on his lap mixed with the friction and added texture from his underwear was causing an interesting reaction. He heard Kakashi call out with a sound somewhere between a growl and a moan, but he never should have looked.

Kakashi’s back was arched, knees spread wide as he fisted his own erection. Hist entire torso flushed, neck fully exposed to hungry blue eyes. Minato could take the teasing no longer. Faster than the younger man could comprehend, Minato flipped the two of them over. He shed his now ruined underwear and grabbed the lube.

“Already… oh Sage ahh… Already prepped… Now!”

Now it was Minato’s turn to growl. Though he trusted his lover, he would never be the cause of severe pain. He used two fingers to test Kakashi and revelled in the luscious moan that spilled from puffy red lips. Minato poured a generous amount of the slick substance over himself and carefully stroked himself a few times to spread it evenly. He lined up the head of his swollen cock with Kakashi’s hole and looked into the blown out gray eyes beneath him.

As he held Kakashi’s gaze, Minato held his breath and pushed in slowly. Kakashi’s mouth fell open and his back arched. Neither of them were overly huge but neither were they average either. By the time Minato’s hips were flush with Kakashi’s ass, the younger man was second guessing letting the blonde stretch hims some more.

“Gimme a minute.. Dammit, did you grow since last night?!”

“Haha, I don’t think so. I did warn you about getting me too excited. Deep breaths, Kashi.”  
Minato rubbed Kakashi’s thighs and took a few deep breaths himself. No matter how many times they did this, Kakashi always managed to remain tight. Kakashi took Minato’s hand and entangled their fingers. The blonde took his subtle hint, and pulled out halfway then thrust back in just as slow as before.

“Jeez old timer, your hips buggin you today? We did a lot of…. FUCK MINATO!”

Minato’s eyes narrowed as he pounded into Kakashi, the poor man could only hold on for dear life as the blonde destroyed his lower half. Was he using his jutsu? Strong arms wrapped around Kakashi’s hips and angled them up just a bit, and Kakashi lost all cognitive thought as Minato found his prostate, over and over and over.

At this pace, neither would last long and both knew it, so they didn’t try to hold out. Moans, skin meeting skin, the lewd squelch of lube, and the litany of curses filled the room along with the smell of sex and musk. Determined Kakashi would go over first, Minato moved one of his hands to Kakashi’s near purple cock and wrapped his fingers around it.

A panicked look shot towards him, and Minato smirked as he gave two strokes before Kakashi’s world exploded and he screamed Minato’s name. Already tight muscles fluttering against his overly sensitive dick sent Minato soaring right behind his love.

Both men collapsed to the mattress, breathless and unable to move.

“Now, you were saying who was old?”

“Shut it you brat. If I’m not able to walk tomorrow you get to take care of my missions AND my genin team.”

“I warned you, but I suppose I could do that for you. If I can walk that is.”

They both laughed and managed to get themselves up right long enough to hobble their way into the shower. That night when they finally managed to get back into bed, they both slept throughout the night. The following morning, everyone in the missions office cackled riotously at the state the two men were in.

Tsunade took a bit of pity on them and sent them home, Hayate would babysit Kakashi’s genins for the day but he would have to take Hayate’s patrol duty the following night.

“Next time you two decide to pound each other, make sure you aren’t scheduled for duty the next day. Dismissed you brats.”


	25. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Konoha visits Suna, to the festival, and then all hell breaks loose!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: author took liberties with Naruto and Shikamaru's abilities (this is a rewrite so I can); violence, mentions of torture; depictions of blood; cliffhanger ending

Chapter 21

Suna Village Kazekage Tower

For the first time in many many years, the meeting hall at Kazekage tower was full. On one half of the table sat the Suna Council, Temari, Konkaro, Gaara, the Kazekage, and several Suna shinobi. On the other side, Kiba, Sasuke, Hinata, Shikamaru, Naruto, Genma, Izumo, Kotetsu, Minato and Kakashi. 

Naruto stood in his place at the table and addressed the room.

“I would like to thank all of you for coming on such short notice, and thank you as well Suna Council for approving this meeting. For those of you who do not know me; I am Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto, Ambassador of Konohagakure, member of the Allied Shinobi Forces Council and Chief Investigator for this case in Konoha. 

I asked for this meeting to be called, because both our villages have been attacked and we believe it was the same people for both attacks. On Oct 10 of this year, there was an attempted kidnapping. Thankfully, none of the children were badly injured nor were there any taken. It is my understanding that there was also an attempted kidnapping here in Suna, as well.

Temari, you informed our investigative team that you believed the events had something to do with a merchant? Can you tell us more about how you came to this conclusion?”

“Sure. The day of the attempted kidnapping was September 23. Several days prior, we had a disturbance report about a merchant causing a scene with one of the orphans. The merchant was taken into custody and the child returned to the orphanage. That brings us to the day of the attack. 

That day, we were testing the fireworks to prepare for the solstice festival. The children of the village had gathered to watch, and Gaara noticed one of the orphans standing in the very back of the group. Sasuke went and picked him up to his shoulders so the kid could see. That’s when they noticed the bruises. 

I was sent to the orphanage to investigate the treatment of the children there. Everything seemed in order, so I left and gave my report to the Kazekage. While I was giving my report, we heard several screams from outside. We dispatched our ANBU units, myself, Konkuro, Gaara and Sasuke to the scene. Kiba was already there since he’d smelled the smoke. The orphanage was on fire, Kiba had his ninken pack pulling kids out of the building. We noticed the count was too low, so while Gaara used his sand to put out the flames, the rest of us searched the building. We looked everywhere but we couldn’t find the rest of the kids.

We found them later after the fire was put out. They had escaped when the fire started, and hid in the trees. A few of the ANBU units managed to capture a few missing nin that we believe to be responsible for the fire.”

“Thank you Temari. As you can clearly see, the cases are identical in many ways. A few days before our attack, there was also a merchant arrested for causing a scene in the market. Our orphanage wasn’t burned, but it had been attacked. Myself and several ANBU units were dispatched to investigate the building and secure the children, after we noticed signs of abuse and neglect of a small boy. 

Thanks to the aid of the Byakugan, we were able to discover that the missing nin that were being used in the attack were getting into the orphanage, and therefore, into the village. They had burrowed a tunnel underground with the opening leading into the basement of the building. After we defeated the enemy, we managed to capture four of the missing nin. Sadly the rest either died or killed themselves to avoid interrogation. 

The hokage couldn’t be here, so she sent my father, Namikaze Minato, to represent the office.”

“Thank you Naruto, as he said my name is Namikaze Minato. And though I don’t feel it important I suppose you need it for the record, so my official title is Director of ANBU Black. I speak on behalf of Senju Tsunade, Hokage of Konohagakure and on her order, I have the same authority in this meeting. The missive is in the folder you all were given prior to the meeting.

In the reports you sent to Konoha, you requested either Yamanaka-san or someone from his department come to Suna or we send someone here to bring back your prisoner to be interrogated using the Yamanaka clan jutsu. Unfortunately Inoichi could not leave the office due to the delicate nature of our captives, and the only member of his department that can use the jutsu is away on assignment. 

Instead, we offer you this. We’ll escort your prisoner and any of your shinobi you wish to send as witnesses to the interrogation. This way, you’ll have a first hand account on any information gathered. We’ll also be interrogating our own prisoners at that time, so you’ll also get that information as well.”

“Thank you Minato. We will accept the offer from Konoha, and I’ll send Temari and one of our messenger birds. Should another attack happen during this time, Temari will defer to your orders.”

“That is acceptable, and should Suna fall under another attack, all Konoha shinobi present will fall under yours, Kazekage. That includes my knuckleheaded son. As we still do not know who is behind these attacks, or if any other village has experienced similar attacks as well, both of our villages should proceed with extreme caution. Any communication between our villages should be coded.”

“Yes, Temari is familiar with all of Suna’s coding methods and will decode any messages received to the letter.”

“Naruto and Shikamaru are both well versed in our coding methods as well. Both of you will decode any message from Konoha to the letter as well.”

“Yeah yeah, we know. I skip one small word and still won’t hear the end of it.”

“Well Shika, that one word neary brought an end to the alliance so…”

“I heard about that! That was your doing then, Shikamaru?”

“In my defence Lord Kazekage, I had just come off a week long mission with no sleep and the missive was given to me the second I set foot in the tower.”

“Under those circumstances, I suppose anyone would make that mistake. Is there anything else that needs to be discussed at this time?”

“Not from me, well at least nothing pertaining to the meeting.”

“Haha, yes yes Minato. I believe we have a match to finish Kakashi, and I owe Minato a bottle of Suna’s finest wine. Rooms for you and your companions have been set up here in the residential wing of the tower. Tonight is the final night of the solstice festival. Granny Chio is revealing her Lunar Flower garden tonight, you are all invited to attend the festivities. Temari will be ready to leave as soon as you are.”

“We allotted two days to let everyone rest, resupply our provisions and allow your people to prepare. If Temari can be ready to leave tomorrow evening then we’ll depart at sundown.”

“I can be ready to go in twenty minutes, but I really wanted to stay for the festival. It would actually be better to leave the day after tomorrow. There’s a sandstorm brewing that we believe will hit late tomorrow afternoon. They are unpredictable once they hit. It could last five minutes or five days.”

“We’ll play it by ear then. I’ll send word to Konoha to expect us to be late by five days just to be safe.”

“It’s settled then. Show these shinobi to their rooms if you would, Naruto.”

“I’m just glad we aren’t staying here. I really don’t want to be put next to my old man and Kashi.”

The room erupted in laughter as both Minato and Kakashi blushed from ear to ear. Naruto led the group to the residential wing. At the end of the left hall, he took them up the stairs and waved his arms to either side.

“All the rooms on this floor were set up for visitors. Kazekage decided to let you guys pick which rooms for the exception of one. Dad, you and Kashi have the room all the way down at the end. It’s the biggest room and has the biggest bed. Fresh robes and towels are in your rooms, and trust me on this, if you plan to go outside during the day time here, you’ll wear the robes. Oh, on the wall next to the doors is a call button. If you need something, just push it and one of the tower workers will bring it up and that includes food orders. Any questions?”

“Yeah who are you and what have you done with our little Naru-chan?”

“Shut it Gemma. I’m still in work mode, it’s been a long day. I swear if I get called Chibi Flash again I’ll skin someone alive. Kashi, be warned. Granny Chio knew your father and she will tease the hell out of you. Might even try to kill you a time or two. You can fight back, just no killing her or it will cause a war. I’m heading back downstairs, but you guys get settled in and get some sleep. We’ll catch up later, okay?”

“Oh, alright then. I guess we’ll see you later then.”

“Sorry dad, it’s not that I don’t want to see you. Since it became obvious that the attacks were connected, Shika and I haven’t spent five minutes alone together. This vacation turned into a mission, we even received payment from Baachan. Today is the first time we’ve actually both had time to spare and we’d hoped to spend it together.”

“We had no idea Naruto. I’m sorry your vacation got ruined, go spend time with Shika. I believe I will go pester Granny Chio for a game of tag. We haven’t played since the war.”

“Hah! Good luck with that because she's on the hunt for Kashi. Hey maybe hide and seek instead of tag?”

“You up for that Kakashi?”

“It’s been a while since I’ve been here, but I’m sure I can keep up.”

Naruto laughed and waved goodbye to his dad and Kakashi. He hoped Shikamaru was still waiting for him. He hadn’t lied when he said they didn’t get much alone time. What he didn’t say was that they had made time for extracurricular activities all over Suna and the Tower. Today was supposed to be their chance to have some relaxing time together and enjoy the festival. 

Naruto met up with Shikamaru outside the tower and the two went back to their borrowed apartment. Inside, they showered and changed into yukatas they had picked up at one of the local shops. Naruto’s was pale blue, almost gray and it complimented his eyes and made them shine. Shikamaru managed to find one in a shade of green similar to his clan’s traditional color, and Naruto drooled when the brunette wore it. 

“Do we really need to go to the festival now? We’ll already be there for the garden thing.”

“Yes Shika! You promised we could go today since we’ve been so busy. Besides, tonight we’re on guard duty since you came up with the idea that if someone was going to attack again, it would be tonight when everyone’s focus will be the fireworks and flowers.”

“I know Nar, and we can still go to the festival. Don’t get upset. Just don’t go overboard on the sweets today. One candy apple and limit souvenirs to what our summons can carry alright? I’m not relying on the toads to haul a bunch of stuff home.”

“Fine! Meanie.”

“Don’t pout, you’re too cute when you pout.”

Naruto smiled, knowing he’d get his way if he played the brunette just right. After making sure their wallets were properly sealed away, they grabbed a few empty bags and left the apartment.

“Okay, do you want to play the booths first or food first?”

“Let’s get yakisoba and pork buns first, then we can hit the booths!”

“Sounds good. You know where everything is, lead the way.”

“Oh oh oh! Shika look! It’s a fox mask!”

“Yep, you want it?”

“Please! Excuse me ma’am, can I get that fox mask there?”

“Of course, dear! That is one of my more popular masks. It sells like crazy every year. Twenty ryo please.”

“You hand make these right? This is really good quality. Here you go, keep the change. Good quality deserves fair pay.”

“Thank you young man!”

“Shika you’re so sweet!”  
“We can always go home…”

“I’ll stop. Yay! Yakisoba!”

Shikamaru shook his head and watched his boyfriend nearly plow over a group of kids in his excitement to get food. When the blonde got to do things like go to festivals, that’s when he got to be a kid. None of the rookie nine regretted the way they did things. They always knew why they were training so hard, they could all feel it in their bones. There was a war coming, and they all needed to be as prepared as they can be for it. 

Naruto had more demons in his past than most, but he didn’t let them hold him back. He kept training all those years even after what happened to him. But Shikamaru knew a secret no one else did, except maybe Kurama. Naruto might be strong on the outside, on the inside though, he was fragile as glass. Their teammates all knew what had happened to him, they had to be told in case they were on a mission with him and he had flashbacks or panic attacks. If any of them had reacted negatively, or looked at Naruto with pity, he would have shattered.

Unsurprisingly, the team reacted with anger towards anyone that would hurt their brother. Not comrade, not teammate or friend, their brother. Each death threat and curse of Naruto’s attackers mended the cracks that had already formed on the blonde’s heart.

Shikamaru lit a cigarette and leaned against a tree, still keeping one eye on Naruto.

“All clear so far. I don’t like using him as bait and Naruto won’t be happy when he finds out about what happened.”

“I know, your mother threatened to keep Minato’s balls on a chain around her neck if anything happens to the kid. I think Kakashi’s face was worse than Minato’s which made the situation hilarious.”

“Heh yeah I’ll bet.”

“Does he know he’s still on the clock?”

“Of course he does. He helped me plan this. Any idea who the moles are yet?”

“Kazekage has an idea who his might be. We’re still filtering shit out back home.”

“Naruto brought something up to me that I think might help on the home front. This place is too open, so meet us at the tower before the garden reveal. Make sure the others are there too.”

“Copy that boss man.”

Shikamaru put out the stub of his cigarette and joined Naruto in line for the noodles.  
“Well?”

“He’ll meet us there. What did you order for me?”

“I got us both something easy to digest so we don’t end up with stomach issues when all hell breaks loose.”

“Good idea. You sure you’ll be okay to do this? Your dad will find out about it if you do.”

“Yeah, I don’t keep secrets from him or Inoichi when it comes to nightmares, flashbacks and attacks. They both told me if I did and they found out, they’d bench me permanently. Shit, don’t turn around but at your three.”

“Yeah I felt them. There’s more approaching in all directions. Don’t alert them, you ready?”

“Yep, everything is in place. Give the signal.”

Shikamaru slipped into the shadows and called his summons.

“What do you want, lazy ass?”

“Do what you do, but don’t kill anyone with the mark you got it?”

“Yes, I got it. You owe me for this Nara.”

“You can cuddle with Naruto as long as you want once we get home. If and only if you don’t screw this up.”

He stepped back out of the shadows and made like he was waving to a friend. Getting the cue, Kiba released his pack with Akamaru taking the lead. Kankuro grinned and wiggled his fingers and the “villagers” made them crowd around Naruto and Shikamaru. Genma took the sign and signaled the rest of the team. Everyone took position around the perimeter of Suna, Hinata perched atop the Kazekage tower and scanning the ground.

“They’re entering through four holes, one for each cardinal direction using Naruto and Shikamaru’s location as the center. I count at least 30 with more underground. The rest are heading in multiple directions, one of which is toward Konoha.”

“We anticipated this. Signal Neji.”

“Copy.”

Naruto and Shikamaru summoned clones, and Shikamaru slipped them through the shadows. 

“Kazekage, how goes the evacuation?”

“The last of the civilians are now safe. All clean shinobi are in position and marked, elites are cleared. Shukaku is ready.”

“Alright people listen up. Shika and I have only done this once so there is plenty that can go wrong. If you aren’t ready to take this risk, back out now. No one will hold you responsible.”

“Seems everyone is in it for the long hall, babe.”

“Okay then let’s do this. Shika, I’ll see you when we wake up.”

“Love you Naru.”

“Love you too Shika.”

“Shukaku, you and Sasuke ready?”

“Shut up and get your ass going blondie! I was promised blood dammit!”

“Yes Naruto, we’re ready.”

Naruto closed his eyes and opened his chakra pathways to full flow and channeled natural chakra into himself and straight to Kurama. Shikamaru put his hands on Naruto’s shoulders and called his shadows and pushed them through the blonde’s pathways to Kurama. For a few moments, time stood still. Then, Naruto’s eyes opened to reveal solid red eyes with a yellow pupil.

“Multi shadow clone jutsu!”

“Shadow Possession Jutsu, complete…”

Shikamaru passed out, and was caught by Naruto. In the blink of an eye, Naruto became Kurama. Thanks to the jutsu he’d cast, there were now 60 Kurama clones. Though not nearly as powerful, they could now spread out and attack the enemy from all sides. Shikamaru rested comfortably entangled in Kurama’s thick fur and protected by the shield of his shadows.

“Hey you idiot fox, did you finally decide to wake up?”

“Focus on your task you damn tanuki! How the Uchiha brat tolerates you, never mind I don’t want to know.”

“Remember not to attack anyone with a mark, unless you sense anything off about them.”  
A terrorized scream and the acrid smell of blood filled the air, this was their signal to join the fun. Sasuke used his sharingan to release the seal on Shukaku’s power and let the bijuu run loose.

“Just don’t get Gaara injured or you’ll go back in the cage.”

“Yeah I heard ya. Woohoo!”

Shukaku enjoyed the screams of terror that ripped from the enemy as he danced his way through the village streets. Sasuke was impressed the giant idiot hadn’t knocked over too many buildings. He stood back and kept an eye on both bijuu, ready to step in if need be. The shinobi ground forces were rounding up any enemy that managed to get past their special forces team, aka the bijuu, and hauling them into cells.

In an underground chamber far from the village, the civilians and those not able to fight were kept comfortable and fed. They were unaware of what was happening back in the village, they just knew their kage had ordered them to be brought here. Several masked ANBU were walking through the throngs of people and checking them one by one. Minato kept a close eye on every person and movement, while Kakashi tried to entertain the children. He was failing miserably, until Izumo knocked him upside the head.

“You moron, you can’t tell jokes like that to kids. Now we know why Naruto is such a dork most of the time. Seriously where did you even learn those jokes?”

“Some I got from Ko.”

“Oh hell no wonder. Remind me to glue his mouth shut later.”

The kids found humor in the pair’s banter, until they got bored. Then they decided it would be fun to pile up on the two Konoha shinobi. The Kazekage watched with amusement, but like Minato, kept one eye focused on the adults in the room. He doubted they only had one mole, one on the battlefield, and one with the civilians. They just needed to weed out who was where. Suddenly, there came a call over the radio.

“All’s clear topside. No casualties for Suna or Konoha. Three Konoha down with chakra exhaustion and minor injuries. One Suna for the same. Orders?”

“Hold position.”

“We heard, Lord Kazekage. Konoha orders are to collect the wounded and return to base.”

“Suna orders are to treat the wounded, then patrol the perimeter and scout for any more enemy forces.”

“Copy.”  
Minato heard the high pitch static that comes from a private frequency used only by Black Op’s and tuned in to it.

“Can anyone hear me?”

“I copy, Ko what is your location?”

“I’m pinned down about five clicks from the main battlefield. I’ve caught a rat, and he’s pretty strong. Won’t be able to hold him for long. Can you send help?”

“Redirecting units your way. Should be there in a few minutes.”

“Konoha shinobi in need of backup, five clicks away. Anyone available, go assist.”

Kotetsu kicked the bound and gagged traitor lying on the ground.

“You will answer for all this, and then you’ll pay with your life.”

“Oh, I don’t think so. You should really be more careful when fighting shinobi stronger than you, Hagane Kotetsu. Pitty your friends won’t get here in time to save you.”

“We figured he was involved somehow. You won’t get away, even if you kill me, I’ll self destruct and take you with me you bastard! Why Kabuto?!”

“Well that’s easy. Give back Orochimaru, and we’ll call off the attacks. I can’t promise we’ll stop taking the orphans though, we need specimens after all. Goodnight, Kotetsu.”

“Down here! Hurry don’t let him get away!”

“Seems I wasted too much time, oh well.”

Kabuto ran a tanto blade through Kotetsu’s lower abdomen and sliced up before twisting and pulling it out.

“I do hate getting bloody but it can’t be helped.”

Kotetsu called out a few more times, his vision growing weaker by the minute. He could hear the muffled sounds of fighting and yelling, but it sounded far away. The last image Kotetsu saw before his world went black, was the pale white faces of Kakashi and Izumo.

“G..et Ka..buto…”


	26. Author's Note

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A/N

Okay so we are coming to the end of season one! Chapter 22 will end the first segment of this story and prepare the stage for segment 2. This is where the fun really starts! After I post chapter 22 I will take a short break in writing to give the story time to build. The first chapter of season 2 will come out some time in February, I don't know the exact date because I'm not sure how long it will take me to get the next three chapters ready. Keep your eyes peeled for updates, polls, fan art, and more on my discord server! The link to join is down below. Thank you all so much for your continued support, the wonderful comments, and for watching the show progress. I hope to see you again for season two!


	27. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kotetsu has booboos, Naruto can do what?!, Obito is scared of Shika, and the plot thickens!

Chapter 22

Konoha Village Shinobi Hospital

“Zu, go home. Take a shower and get a decent meal in you. I’ll watch over him for a while and if anything changes, I’ll radio you immediately.”

“I can’t leave him right now Kashi. I can’t, what if he wakes up while I’m gone?”

“Tsunade-hime has him sedated Zu, he won’t be able to wake up on his own right now. I doubt you’ll be able to sleep, so just shower and eat something. Then you can come back and I’ll make sure the others don’t pester you okay?”

“You’ll call?”

“I promise you if he so much as twitches his nose, I’ll call you.”

“Alright then. I think I will actually try to get some sleep if you don’t mind watching him. That chair is hard on the back. I doubt it will be for long, but just in case, are you okay to watch him until tomorrow?”

“Minato, myself, or Shukaku are in and out of here day in and day out with the kids. Ko is stable enough to be moved out of this room. I bet we can get them to put him over with the kids, that way there’s around the clock eyes on him.”

“If we can do that, then I’ll start going home at night.”

“Can I get that in writing, Izumo. You look worse than Kotetsu right now.”

“Lady Hokage! I.. Yes, I’ll put it in writing. I’ll even sign in blood.”

“Alright don’t get dramatic on me. Normally I don’t move patients with his type of injuries to a room where there is a lot of in and out traffic, but knowing Kotetsu-kun, he’d be happier with the boys. We can move him sometime this evening after visiting hours.”  
“I’ll set my alarm then. Thanks Kakashi, Lady Hokage.”

“I was serious when I said he looked worse, has he not been eating or sleeping?”

“Not really, not since they got here. Ko was brought in by the boys, even though we told them to rest. I admire their determination to help their comrades, but they nearly killed themselves and him. Izumo, Genma and the others came in with the prisoners and Suna backup. He’s had ration bars and protein shakes for nourishment, and as for sleeping, he dozes in the chair.”

“I have half a mind to put him in a bed right next to Kotetsu.”

“Can you give me a breakdown of his injuries?”

“Normally no, but since Kotetsu listed you as family I’ll allow it. It’s not pretty, the fact he’s still breathing on his own is a miracle by itself. What one would expect to find with the kind of attack that brat Kabuto pulled, would be a list as long as Jiraiya’s hair. Ruptured organs, internal bleeding, ruptured intestine, infection, ruptured lungs, broken or severed ribs, damage to the pericardium. We found pretty much all of that when he got hare, but there was no blood. Something was keeping him from bleeding out. Who was first to the scene.”

“Minato, myself and Izumo. Izumo beat us there by fifteen seconds, had his hands inside the open gash with blood up to his shoulders. Ko was still awake when we arrived but lost consciousness just after.”

“His body probably went into shock at that point. Did we manage to get Kabuto at least?”

“Sasuke did. Got him in a jutsu lock then sealed him up like a damn mummy. He’s been locked away with Itachi since we got him here. How much longer are you going to keep him asleep?”

“Once I’m sure he’s no longer at risk for internal hemorrhaging or infections. He’ll be on a clear liquid diet for the foreseeable future. I doubt very seriously he’ll be able to return to active duty once he’s healed.”

“Izumo’s syrup...:”

“What about it?”

“That’s what stopped the bleeding. Izumo discovered it had that capability when my leg got sliced open on a mission. We had no bandages at the time and he decided to take the risk and use his syrup. Worked like stitches and held me together until I got back. Course it hurt like hell when they had to open it back up and clean it out, but I’m grateful.”

“I believe you’re right. Smart thinking on his part, he saved his partner’s life. If Naruto can manage to channel his natural chakra, he might be able to heal Kotetsu’s wounds enough to speed up his recovery. There’s no guarantee it will work though, so I haven’t said anything to Izumo about it. Once Naruto is awake, I’ll talk to him about it.”

Kakashi nodded, and Tsunade picked up Kotetsu’s chart and began to examine him once more. Checking his wound dressings, and making sure everything was clean and sterile. She measured his vital signs and was relieved to find he had no fever or any other sign of infection. 

“Looks like Izumo has been making our jobs easier. He’s been keeping Kotetsu’s wounds flushed out and the dressings clean and moist.”

“Why not stitch him closed?”

“Given the nature of the wound and where it took place, there’s a higher risk of infection if we close the wound. Plus, if he pops another bleed, it will be easier and less traumatic on him to fix it this way. It’s also another reason I’m keeping him asleep.”

“Makes sense.”

“Lady Tsunade! The boys are awake and demanding to see Kotetsu.”

“Damn brats. Alright Shizune, bring em here.”

Shizune nodded and went back down the hall to the room where Shikaku and the boys were currently arguing.

“Lady Tsunade is going to allow you to see him, but! You need to calm down and before you set foot in his room, you need a shower and clean clothes. He’s at risk for infections and we don’t need to increase his chances of getting one.”

“Yeah okay Shizune-nechan. I need a shower anyway. Please tell me there’s more than these little bottles of soap?”

“Follow me, you can use the staff showers. I’ll leave some scrubs out for you to wear until your father can bring up some clothes for you.”

Shikamaru and Naruto followed the shorter woman into the staff dressing room.

“Towels are on that rack, soaps are there as well. Make sure to use the yellow soap for your skin, it’s antibacterial and antifungal. Meet me outside when you’re done.”

Shizune left to give the boys some privacy and met up with Shikaku in the hall.

“How bad is he?”

“As it stands right now, he won’t return to active duty. He’ll be lucky to regain a somewhat normal life. In my opinion, it might have been more humane to let him die than to save him.”

“Were you able to isolate the special attribute of our blood?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact I did. I have a serum that will either heal him completely or kill him instantly. We haven’t tested it yet, and with the magnitude of the situation, we’d need written consent from his next of kin.”

“Izumo then?”

“No. He doesn’t have anyone listed. Neither Kotetsu nor Izumo listed each other on their medical paperwork. Other than emergency contacts. The closest we have is who he wrote down for Medical Power of Attorney, and that is Kakashi.”

“Yikes, well no pressure on him then. Have you talked to him about it?”

“No, but I think Tsunade wants to try using Naruto’s chakra.”

“No. She is not putting that on his conscience. Chakra control in the heat of battle is different from trying to save someone’s life. One wrong move and he’d obliterate what’s left of Kotetsu. Minato would have all of our heads for even considering it.”

“Sensei’s right, Anechan. As much as I want to try and help in any way that I can, I’ve never tried using my chakra to heal and I’m not about to risk the life of one of my friends and teachers to try. We’re ready to see him.”

“Follow me then, and remember to stay calm, especially no yelling. Tsunade will talk to you in the hall first.”

Shizune led the two teens to Kotetsu’s room, and sure enough, Tsunade met them in the hall. She was standing there with Asuma and Genma. Both men looked very unhappy about something, Naruto guessed Tsunade had already talked to them about it. He wondered if Kakashi knew.

“I won’t do it Tsunade. I will do anything I’m capable of doing to help him, but I won’t risk killing him with my own chakra. Did you explain this to Kashi? Medical decisions for all ANBU both current and former, have either Kashi, Dad or Itachi as their Medical Power of Attorney. Since neither Dad nor Tachi-nii are here, that means he has Kashi down for his.”

“What is it you should’ve told me about hime?”

“I wanted to have Naruto try to use his natural chakra to heal Kotetsu’s wounds. Yes there’s a risk it could go wrong, but that same risk exists for every option we have right now. We either take this risk, or he might live another year possibly two before he eventually dies from his own body poisoning him. It’s either slow and agonizing, forcing people to watch him die; Or, we take the risk and even if it does kill him, at least he wouldn’t have to suffer that way.”

“There’s always the serum Shizune made using the Nara blood. We all saw what their blood did for Naruto and it wasn’t concentrated.”

“Yes, that’s true Asuma-san, but Naruto and Shikamaru have the same blood type. Though the serum was derived from blood and not the actual blood, the properties are still the same. There’s a risk of his body rejecting the serum, which would kill him. There’s also the risk that it would just outright kill him because some of the components are toxic. However, if it works, it would heal him completely. He’ll probably still have the scar from the wound, but all the internal damage would be healed. It will still take time, multiple treatments in controlled doses over time so as not to throw his body into shock.”

“What are his chances for survival if we do nothing?”

“Best case scenario, he might live another year or two. He’ll need constant medical care, around the clock in home care. He’d be in constant pain, unable to really eat. It’s not a life many would want. Worst case, and most likely to happen, his body will start to shut down due to the amount of damage and trauma caused. He’d slip into a coma and eventually die. Either chakra or the serum are the best options he has right now.

I understand Naruto-kun’s and everyone else’s dislike of the chakra method, but honestly, it is the better option. We have enough serum right now for one trial dose, so we can’t exactly test it on a fish or another animal first. Kotetsu-kun would have to be our lab rat, so to speak. With chakra, we can test it out first before we even go near him. I would advise Kakashi and the boys to go in and see Kotetsu, then Naruto and Shikamaru should visit Izumo before anyone makes a decision. The man is Kotetsu’s partner, so he should have some say in what happens to him.”

Naruto nodded at Shizune and grabbed Shikamaru’s hand tightly. Shikamaru squeezed the blonde’s hand, and the two followed Kakashi into the room. When they laid eyes on the man lying on the bed, they both nearly lost it.

The normally easy going man who always greeted them at the gates, their annoying teacher who never let Shikamaru slack off to watch clouds, Naruto’s ramen buddy, and the one person he could go to when he needed someone to talk to that wouldn’t give advice or tell him what to do. Just listen, and be there with him. Usually he had a dark tan, now his skin was ghostly pale, almost an ashy color. The warmth that usually resided in the man year round was gone, replaced with cold clammy skin.

This person couldn’t be Kotetsu, this had to be some look alike corpse doll or something. This had to be a cruel prank to teach them a lesson about how sometimes shinobi had to make sacrifices for the mission. Something other than what they were seeing.

“Kashi…”

“It’s real boys. This is in fact Kotetsu. I called Izumo back here so we can all sit down and talk. Before he gets here, I’m going to tell you right now. Don’t you dare have those looks of guilt and regret on your faces that you have right now. You might as well just take a knife to Ko’s heart yourselves. He’s a trained shinobi, a soldier. He knew what could happen when he accepted this mission, just like all the rest of us did. That could have easily been anyone else. Izumo doesn’t regret the mission or the choices he made during the attack. 

The only reason I allowed you in to see him was for you to realize what’s really happening out there. Life and death are easy, we live and we die. Injuries like this… Do you think Izumo made the right choice to save Ko, or should he have slit his throat and let him die with dignity?”

“Kakashi that’s enough..”

“Is it Shikamaru? Look at him, look at the decisions we have to make, the burden we have to place on either Naruto’s shoulders or Shizune and yours. It’s your blood that serum came from. Now, should he have let Ko die?”

“No. Our mission was to capture or kill the enemy. Izumo was ordered to protect the civilians, provide backup when needed, and to work as a medic when needed. He swore before Tsunade to save every life he could. Personal feelings aside, he had to do what he could to save Kotetsu. Not only because of his orders, but because Kotetsu had valuable intel on his attacker.”

“That’s part of it, yes. He made his call based on whether or not he thought Kotetsu would actually pull through this. When you’re making a split second decision like that, orders, feelings none of that matters. You have to ask yourself, if I save this person or that person, who will actually live and who will just exist. Izumo knew that Kotetsu would fight and survive. So now you two need to make a decision on what you think will help Ko keep fighting.”

“Actually, I’ve been running scenarios in my head and I think I have an idea that might lower some of the risk for either option. I want to talk to Izumo first, Make sure it’s even doable.”

“You’ll get your chance, he’s here. Let’s go down and talk in the private waiting room.”

The three left the room, ignoring the others in the hall and made their way down to meet Izumo. They gathered in a private room with a locked door, and Izumo read their faces with a frown.

“Okay, judging by your faces we have some choices to make. What’s the situation, Kashi?”

“If we do nothing, there’s a chance Ko will make it. He’ll never return to active duty as a shinobi or fulfill any role in the village. He’d be basically bedridden in need of constant care, and maybe make it another year or two at best. Or, he could slip into a coma and die.”  
“Not an option. Next.”

“Shizune made a serum using my blood that could very well heal him completely, maybe leave a scar or two. The risks are extremely high. We have different blood types, so his body could reject it and kill him, or the components that were used to make the serum could kill him.”

“Okay, it’s a possibility. Not liking the risks but what treatment doesn’t have risks. Last option?”

Naruto tried to swallow, his throat dry and tight.

“Baachan wants me to try and learn to use my natural chakra for healing. She thinks it’s the best option we have.”

“You don’t agree. Why?”

“I’ve never been all that good with chakra control. If it works the way Baachan thinks, then it could heal not only Kotetsu-sensei, but lots of other shinobi too. But if it doesn’t work, or I mess up even a little bit….”

“You could blow him to bits, that about right? Listen Naru-chan, neither Ko or myself wanted you kids promoted so quickly. Sure you’re stronger than us power and ability wise, but you’re kids. You’re young and vulnerable, impressionable. You have a huge heart, and though that’s not a bad thing as a person, as a shinobi it will one day get you killed. We’ve seen it before time and time again. You can’t let the fear you have of losing Ko on some off chance you “might” mess up. 

If the situations were reversed, and that was Shikamaru laying on that bed up there, what would you say to me? Which option would you want me to choose based on the information you had?”

Naruto wanted to scream at Izumo that he was wrong, that they weren’t children. He’d seen more and been through more than most people his age or older, but he knew deep down the man was right. 

“If it were me, whichever option had the highest chance of healing Shika would be the option I’d ask you to choose.”

“Exactly. I know it seems like Lady Tsunade is trying to force you to do something, and you’re right. She’s trying to make you grow up and see the situation objectively. You have already healed Shikamaru and yourself numerous times using your chakra. Granted, Kyuubi-san is the one healing you, and you aren’t really aware of what you’re doing. If you could learn to harness that healing ability you’d be one of the most formidable opponents on the battlefield or the most valuable asset on a mission. Every department in the village would be fighting to recruit you, especially T&I.

Shika, I can see you’re about to explode over there. What do you got?”

“After hearing the options and what could go wrong with both, I started thinking. I imagined different scenarios for each option but they all came out the same way. Either he dies, or he winds up an invalid. I disregarded those, and broke down the working parts of each option and I think I have a solution.”

“Oh yeah? Let’s hear it then.”

“The biggest risk for the serum is rejection or poisoning from the toxic components. The risk for using Naruto’s chakra is his inconsistency with chakra control. What if we take away the risk of chakra control, then take away the risk of poisoning and rejection?”

“We’d have a perfect solution, but how would that be possible? I’m sure if the option was available then someone would have already mentioned it.”

“Not if they weren’t thinking clearly, you mean use Kyuubi instead of Naruto for the chakra.”

“Sort of. Kyuubi’s chakra can be passed from person to person by touch, but only if they share a bond with Naruto. If Kyuubi transfers some of his chakra to Kotetsu-sensei, then we could use the serum and the chakra would draw out the toxins. As for how to avoid the rejection, that’s a bit harder to fix.”

“Kurama can do it. He said he can filter the serum through my pathways and he can push it through with his chakra to heal Kotetsu. It will take longer to work, but it will still work. But there’s a downside to it, Kotetsu will need to be awake so that Kurama will be able to gauge how much chakra he can push through. Too much will kill him, not enough and the serum won’t filter properly and it could kill him.”

“Honestly that’s the best idea I’ve heard yet. It still has it’s risks, but also has the best outcome. Completely healing him would be a major shock to his system. This would be more gradual and allow his mind and body to stay in sync, less mental trauma this way.”

“I agree with Zu, this is the option I want us using.”

“I’ll have to tell Tsunade-sama and the medical team. What does Kurama need from us?”

“We’ll need Inoichi-sensei and your dad for some reason. We’ll need you outside to hold everyone else out of the room. Sorry you two, but that includes you both. I don’t doubt either of you, but we can’t let anything interfere with this, and you will try. He’s going to scream from the pain.”

“We’re okay with waiting, Naru-chan. We’ll hold the others back for you as well. When do you want to do this?”

“I’d like to say let’s do it now, but my chakra levels aren’t stable enough yet. Give me a day to meditate and draw in enough natural chakra, as well as get several bowls of ramen in me. I’ll come back tonight after visiting hours end. We’ll do it then.”

“Naru we’ll need to have someone stay with Kotetsu and make sure he stays stable until tonight.”

“Tsunade is moving Kotetsu to the same room you guys are in. As far as I know you haven’t been discharged yet.”

“I’ll get Minato to bring the ramen and some fresh clothes for you two. You can probably get to the roof to meditate, and the three of us can keep watch over Ko until you’re ready.”

“That works. Have Dingbat-sensei grab me…”

“Your mother sent pot roast, one of Kushina’s recipes. She figured you boys would need something to replenish your strength. Shikaku radioed me and asked me to bring food and clothes for you. There’s enough for all of you.”

“Dad! How long have you been here?”

“Long enough to not need a recap. Do what you need to do, son. Jiraiya is back so that will keep Tsunade occupied for a little while. Shikamaru, Ibiki-san could use your shadows in T&I if you have the chakra for it. You can send Inoichi over once you get there. Shizune has her hands full with patients and that Haruno girl Tsunade’s been teaching. 

That should buy you the time you’ll need to do what it is you’re planning to do. Can I make a few suggestions that might help?”

“Of course sensei! Honestly if you can think of something that will work better, please let us know.”

“Well I don’t know if it will work better, but it will be more efficient than putting Naruto back into chakra exhaustion. The Uzumaki clan were masters in all forms of fuuinjutsu. There are seals we can use that we can all push chakra into, we give that chakra to Kyuubi-san along with this seal which contains natural chakra from Myoboku. That should be more than enough to help Kotetsu. As for the serum, there’s no reason we can’t draw blood from Kotetsu and test a drop or two of it with his blood. That would let us know if he’d reject it or if the other components would kill him.”

Everyone blinked a few times then looked at the floor, embarrassed and ashamed of not thinking of that sooner.

“Everyone is so caught up trying to find a quick fix. When it comes to the body, time is the best factor in healing. Less chances of unnecessary risks, and yes there is the possibility that too much time would be just as bad, but we have some time. Now let’s go up and I will talk to both Tsunade and Shizune.”

The group headed back upstairs and met up with the others. Shikaku waved them over, seeming confused as to why Izumo and Minato were still there.

“Shikamaru and Kyuubi-san have come up with a solution, and I’ve simplified it for them. Shizune, can you test a few drops of your serum on Kotetsu’s blood? This should tell us if he can tolerate the serum or not. Once we have the answer, we can move forward from there.”

“Actually we can, but I don’t have the proper equipment here to do the test. I would need to get permission to use the lab at the police station.”

“Gather what you need and I can go with you. I need to check in with Fugaku-san anyway. He’s been overseeing my office while I’ve been here.”

“I’ll only need a moment to draw some blood from Kotetsu-san.”

Shizune grabbed a vial and a syringe then entered the room and drew some blood using the IV in Kotetsu’s arm. She and Shikaku left the hospital for the police station. 

“So if the serum is rejected or toxic for him, what’s the plan?”

“The plan is for Naruto to pass chakra from Kyuubi onto Kotetsu, which will stabilize him and make it easier for Kyuubi to push natural chakra through Kotetsu and filter the serum. The matching chakras will cancel out the rejection, and Kyuubi-san can filter out the toxic components. We’ll use seals to funnel chakra to Kyuubi-san through Naruto. This process will take longer, but should have higher success than the other two by themselves.”

“It sounds like a plan. Kakashi, did you approve of this plan already?”

“I did. We all agreed on it.”

“I’ll have you sign the paperwork later, first let’s get Kotetsu moved to his new room. Everyone grab a corner. Izumo, if you would get the door for us.”

“Of course, Minato can you get the door to the boy’s room?”

“I can, let me get on that.”

With careful maneuvering, they get Kotetsu settled by the window in Shikamaru and Naruto’s room. Naruto helped Izumo get Kotetsu bathed and his sheets changed. Shikamaru left the blinds open to let the sunlight come through, then he turned to Naruto.

“I’m going over to T&I to help Ibiki-senpai and let Inoichi-sensei know to head this way. Get some rest, I’ll be back soon.”

“Let’s eat first, then I’ll feel better about letting you go over there.”

Shikamaru nodded and kissed Naruto’s nose. He put their two tables together and Minato spread the food containers and plates over the surface. He piled the plates high and put one in front of each teen. Shikamaru looked slightly frightened at the amount of food, but his stomach seemed happy as it gurgled in appreciation. 

“Eat every bite or you won’t leave this room. Izumo, Kakashi you two as well. Grab a chair and sit. I know Kashi hasn’t eaten since last night, and as for you, ration bars are not a substitute for proper meals.”

Minato served them both plates and all but force fed them. Once the four had started eating, he nodded and sat on the end of Naruto’s bed and offered some of the food to Asuma and Genma. Both knew better than to refuse the elder blonde, so they helped themselves and joined Kakashi and Izumo, the two newcomers taking the floor.

Once everyone finished eating, Minato collected the dishes and put them back into the basket he brought them in. He handed clean clothes to Naruto and Shikamaru so they could change into something more comfortable. With another quick kiss, Shikamaru left for the T&I building and Naruto moved his chair closer to Kotetsu’s bed. 

It still didn’t feel real to him, but as he had helped Izumo, he’d felt the reality of it himself. He closed his eyes and fell into Kurama’s space.

“There has to be something we can do for him now. I hate just sitting around waiting like this. Can’t I use full sage mode?”

“Sure, if you want the enemy to know our big trump card. Though that would work too. Nara could pull him into the shadow realm too, though that might take longer.”

“Kurama you’re a genius!”

“I already knew that kit, but why am I a genius this time?”

“I can take Kotetsu-sensei into the cave and use Sage mode to heal the worst of his injuries! We can dilute the serum with Ko’s blood and use that to boost his immune system so he can heal the rest of the way on his own!”  
“Seems to me like you’re the genius kit.”

“Nah, I get moments like that sometimes but i’m not nearly as smart as Shika or my dad.”

“You're three times smarter than Minato. You’ll need to get some rest before you try doing this, your own chakra levels are too low. Natural chakra only goes so far.”

“Yeah I know. I’ll get some sleep, can you get word to Shika so he doesn’t worry when he comes back?”

“Yes kit, now go to sleep.”

Minato watched in amazement as Naruto glowed a soft yellow as chakra pooled around him and started drawing in more. At first he worried Kyuubi was trying to take over, but then he noticed the small smile on Naruto’s lips. He must be visiting Kyuubi, hopefully the fox could convince the boy to sleep some more.

“Minato-senpai, if it’s alright with everyone else, I’m going to grab some sleep. I’ll just use Shikamaru’s bed since he’s gone to T&I.”

“Go ahead Izumo-kun. I’ll keep watch over these two knuckleheads. Asuma, once you’ve finished eating, can I get you to do me a favor? You too Genma..”

“Sure, what did you need Minato?”

“I need you to go through your father’s private archives and see if you can find me any of the scrolls he hid from Uzushio. There’s one in particular I’d like to find and I have a feeling he had it. It will have the whirlpool symbol on it in red wax. Genma, I need you to head back to the barracks and go to yours. There’s some loose floor boards in the closet, lift them up and grab the box inside and bring it back here.”

“Got it boss, I’ll just be a minute.”

“I would ask how you know about the archive, but it’d be pointless. It might take some time but I’m sure that’s what you’re counting on.”

Minato smirked but gave no indication if Asuma was right or not. He watched the man leave and turned to the now open window.

“Thanks for meeting me here Itachi. I’ll seal the room.”

“It was difficult sending a clone out so far, unfortunately I dare not leave Kabuto unattended right now. Sealed or not, he’s as tricky as Orochimaru. What’s the urgency?”

“We need to find a way to apprehend Haruno Sakura without tipping off her family. Her name has been pulled from every person we captured both here and in Suna. We need to find out what she knows and what her connection to these missing nin, and Kabuto.”

“I may have a way. I’ll pop in to see Inoichi before I return to my main body.”

“Send word once you have something.”

“If anyone finds out about this, they’ll start going after her and she’ll escape.”

“Have ANBU Black mask up. As many available agents we have right now. Tell them to not exist and keep Sakura and her Grandmother in their sights at all times.”

“Yeah..”

“I’m not going anywhere, Kashi. I will let no further harm come to Kotetsu. Naruto and Izumo are currently sleeping, we’ll be safe here. I need you to do this for me, love. If I sense danger, I’ll get them out and I will signal for you. For now, everything is as it should be.”

“Alright then, but you had better call for me if you run into trouble. I mean it, don’t play the hero.”

They shared a lingering kiss before Kakashi flashed out of the room. Once the room was empty of anyone who didn’t know his secret, Minato closed his eyes in a state of meditation. 

“I think it’s time to wake you up, Kurama.”

Minato sliced his hand with a kunai and marked an elaborate seal on the grass in front of Kurama. 

“Are you sure the kit is ready for this much power Minato?”

“If Obito ever gets out of the shadow realm, he’ll be the least of our worries. If we want Naruto to stand a chance against Madara, then he’s going to need you at full strength. I won’t unlock the chakra we gathered from the others just yet. I think the Sage of 10 Tails is too much for him right now. “

“Do you think he can handle the memories?”

“I don’t know at this point, he’s proven time and again that he’s stronger than we realize. On that same note, he’s still so young and has yet to experience real loss like that. I have to trust he’ll come to us if he needs help getting through the memories.”

“The Nara boy is currently with Inoichi. When you unlock that seal, the memories will flood the boy as well.”  
“Shikaku is already there with him. He knew this day was coming and he’s ready for it. Help guide him to his full potential old friend. He’s long since surpassed my abilities, but I will help as much as I can.”

Minato breezed through a series of hand signs then he placed both hands on the seal.

“Release!”

“You should wake and be with your son Minato. I’ll do my part from this end.”

Minato woke up and wrapped his arms around a gasping Naruto.

“It’s alright Naruto, just calm your breathing. That’s it, talk to me son. Do you remember where you are?”

“Yeah, in mine and Shika’s room at the hospital. What the hell was that just now? A dream? Memories?”

“Try to calm yourself down and tell me what you saw.”

“I can’t make sense of most of it. At first it was just flashes, little bits and pieces of you and mom? I think… Kurama was attacking the village and you stopped him by sealing half his chakra in me and using the reaper death seal to seal the other half in yourself before you and mom died. Then it was like everything was on fast forward. Nagato was a bad guy, so was Tachi-nii and Sasuke… The Akatsuki took Shukaku and Gaara died… We managed to get him back and then pervy sage… He died, Nagato killed him.. Then Nagato attacked the village to find me and I… I had to stop him. Dad was this real? Wait it can’t be. Nagato is here in the village with Konan, Itachi and Sasuke aren’t bad guys. Dad what is this?”

“We think they’re memories from the future. From what Kurama and I have come up with, someone from that timeline found a way to seal memories and send them back in time. At some point, we’ve all come in contact with this seal. You and Shikamaru both got your memories while you were in training but it was too much for your minds to handle. Kurama and I sealed both sets of memories with him. He used half his chakra to hold the seal. I released the seal to give you back that chakra.”

“And with it came the memories. So all this time.. This is why you guys pushed our training so hard.”

“We knew we couldn’t completely prevent the war from happening. At best, we could buy ourselves time to strengthen the villages, build the alliance and be more prepared for what’s to come.”

“Where’s Shika?!”  
“He’s with Inoichi and Shikaku. All three are on their way here now, what’s wrong?”

“Dad, Shika and I were the ones who made the seal… It’s how we both died. We were the last ones alive. We figured out how to stop them but neither of us had any chakra left, and we were both dying. The war wasn’t the objective, neither was the 10 tails. It was all for the Infinite Tsukuyomi, Madara was trying to resurrect Otsutsuki Kagura, his ‘goddess’. Dad we have to find Madara and seal him before he can put his plans in motion.”

“We’ve been looking for him for years, Naruto. I thought he was with Obito.”

“No, Obito was brainwashed by Madara. We need to find Black Zetsu. That’s Madara. Kabuto has Madara’s original body, he plans to use reanimation jutsu to bring him back. That’s when he’ll put his plan in motion.”

“First we have to heal Kotetsu, your mother trained him in the sealing arts from the Uzumaki clan. If anyone can seal Madara, it would be him and Jiraiya.”

“Has Shizune come back yet?”

“I believe so, I sensed her making rounds. Naruto wait where are you going?”

“I need that serum mixed with Kotetsu’s blood!”

Naruto ran out of the room and went looking for Shizune. He found her, pinned to the wall and shaking, a broken vial on the floor and Sakura holding a kunai to her throat.

“Let her go now, Sakura-chan. I don’t know what Shizune-nechan has done to upset you but there’s no need to hurt her.”

“Naruto! Run, go get Minato!”

“There’s no need for that. I may not be the Yellow Flash, but I’m powerful in my own rights.”

Shikaku captured Sakura in his shadow hold, Inoichi took over her with his mind transfer jutsu. Shikamaru ran to Shizune and pulled her away from the wall and got her to Naruto just as Minato and Itachi appeared in the hall.

“Naruto, take Kotetsu and Shizune and go. Go somewhere only you know about We’ll take care of Sakura and Kabuto. Get going.”

“Right, let's go Anechan.”

“I'm coming with you. I’ll carry Kotetsu, you carry Shizune-san. We’ll follow the shadows.”

“Right. Anechan, no matter what you hear or see do not let go of me for any reason. If you do, you’ll get sucked in and probably die.”

Shizune nodded and let Naruto pick her up. She buried her face against his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck. Shikamaru came back with Izumo carrying Kotetsu on his back.

“Izumo, let me take Kotetsu and you hold onto Naruto’s shoulder and stay between us. I promise I won’t let anything hurt Kotetsu.”

Izumo carefully positioned Kotetsu on Shikamaru’s back, then Shikamaru called his shadows. They were quickly engulfed in darkness, the only light was coming from Naruto and Shikamaru’s eyes.

“Izumo grab onto my shirt and don’t stop walking. You’ll be perfectly safe, the ground is flat with no dips or bumps. Left, Shika?”

“Go right, to the cave. With the protection of the shadows, the cave will be the safest place to go.”

Naruto turned towards the right and began walking, keeping his pace steady so that Izumo could be cautious for a bit. Shikamaru stayed right behind Izumo and kept a tight hold on Kotetsu. A trip that would normally take at least twenty minutes, they made in mere seconds.

“Okay we’re here Shika. The cave is empty.”

“Good, I’ll alert the deer that no one is allowed to enter the cave while we’re here. Not even our parents. Do whatever you need to do to heal Kotetsu as quickly as you can.”

“Shizune-nechan can you mix some of Kotetsu’s blood with the serum?”

“After running the tests, I concluded doing that very thing would make the serum safe for him. It’s still not enough though.”

“It will be. You cannot say a word about what you’re fixing to see. Not even my dad knows I can do this. Only Shika and that’s only because he’s seen it. You can’t even tell Tsunade-bachan.”

“I understand Naruto. I won’t tell anyone.”

Naruto nodded and set his hands in position. He’d drawn in enough chakra, plus getting the other half of Kurama back allowed Naruto to draw out the full power of his Chakra Sage mode. When he opened his eyes again, Shizune was suddenly both terrified and amazed. Naruto was glowing yellow with demonic looking red and blue eyes. Orbs of red, blue and black floated around him and he smiled at her.

“Cool looking huh? Don’t be scared, I won’t hurt you or anyone else in this cave for that matter. Give Kotetsu the serum with his blood and I’ll do the rest.”

Izumo sat with Kotetsu and held his hand. 

“His pulse is low and his breathing is erratic.”

“Probably from being jostled on the way here. He’ll be okay shortly.”

Shizune stuck the needle directly into Kotetsu’s heart and pushed the plunger all the way down. Once the syringe was empty, she pulled out the needle and rubbed the site to stimulate blood flow.

Naruto took that as his cue, and he knelt down next to Kotetsu. He placed his hands over the ragged open gash, and pushed his chakra into the wound. Green chakra flowed into Kotetsu’s body and slowly the internal damage had begun to heal. When the green changed to red, the gash began to knit itself closed.

“Just a little bit longer, Izumo-kun. I’ve healed the worst of his injuries, so he’s not 100%, but the serum will help boost his body’s own healing and immune system. He should be good as new in a few days.”

“Thank you, both of you. I won’t tell a soul about any of this.”

Naruto released sage mode and returned to normal, only slightly tired.

“We’re done Shika. Any news?”

“Yeah, the deer said everyone has gathered at the main house. Our dad’s, Inoichi, Itachi, Tsunade, Genma and Asuma.”

“Can you wake up Kotetsu? He should be okay to walk back to the main house now. Just keep an eye on him, he’ll be really tired.”

“He’s already waking up now. Let’s get him up.”

Naruto and Izumo each took a side and stood Kotetsu up. Shizune stayed close to Shikamaru.

It took them a few minutes, but they managed to get everyone safely to the main house. Shikamaru called out for someone to open the door, and he saw Asuma slide the door all the way open.

“We were worried about all of you. Minato assured us you would be fine, glad he wasn’t just bluffing.”  
“It was close, but we managed to heal the worst of his wounds. He’ll still need rest and it will take a couple of days at least to be fully healed.”

“That’s fantastic news! I knew you would figure out a way between the lot of you.”

“Yeah well I’m glad it worked. Now, anyone wanna explain to me what the fuck is going here?”

“The short version? You have Uchiha Obito locked up in the shadow realm, but Madara is still running loose. Sasuke is now in protective custody with the Raikage’s brother, along with Gaara and several other Jinchuriki. Madara started his plans already, it’s what Jiraiya came back so suddenly after just leaving.”

“What’s that got to do with Sakura?”

“Sakura was working with Kabuto and Orochimaru since the academy basically kicked her out. They promised her she could have Sasuke if she would work for them. Surprisingly enough, they aren’t in league with the Akatsuki. Kabuto was under Sassori’s jutsu, but it was broken during that fight in Suna.”

“Do you think it would be wise to release Obito then? He might have valuable information.”

“We were waiting for you, we need to meet up with the rest of ANBU Black in a secure location so we can do just that.”

“Let’s get going then. We’re running out of time if Madara has already started making his move.”

“What about Kotetsu?”

“I’ll take him and Izumo with me, Naruto. I had Shisui take one of my special kunai with him, I’ll head out with them using my jutsu. We’ll meet you there.”

Minato and Izumo stabilized Kotetsu on his feet, then disappeared. Everyone else followed suit in their fastest ways of traveling. Naruto kept his focus on his dad’s kunai and the others all followed him. After a short while, they found the rest of their group. 

As soon as Naruto and Shikamaru popped up, they were tackled by Shisui. Kotetsu gave a tired chuckle, then groaned as Minato sat him on a stump.

“It’s good to be up and moving again but damn it hurts. Shisui, let the kids up will ya?”

“Stuff it Ko! You would be next but I’m afraid I might actually hurt you. So I’ll settle for Fluffy.”

“Yes yes we’re all glad to see the dynamic duo back from Suna. We have this meeting for a reason folks.”

“Kaka-sensei is right. I’m guessing everyone here either remembers or has at least been brought up to speed with what’s going on?”

“Yep pretty much. You can drag Mr. Sunshine out, I got a little message from Mikoto-san for him.”

“No attacking our key witness Shisui, I’ll suspend you again.”

“Yeah yeah fine, I’ll be good.”

Shikamaru used his shadows to literally throw Obito out of the shadow realm and onto the ground.

“Please don’t make me go back in there! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! I’ll do anything you say, answer any questions. Just please for the love of creation don’t make me go back in there!”

“Calm down Obito. Is Madara still with you?”

“Kakashi? No he jumped ship as soon as the shadows grabbed us.”

“Why are you so afraid of the shadows, Obito?”

“I saw things in there. It was like watching a never ending nightmare on constant loop! I had to watch Rin die, over and over and over again. I gotta know, did it really happen that way? Did Madara really set her up to be the jinchuriki for the 3 tails?”

“So you got the memories too then. Yes, that’s what happened that night. Fuck! So all that time? Did I really… No those couldn’t have been memories.. That night the kid was born, Madara led us to where Kushina was supposed to be, she wasn’t there, so I didn’t kill her or Minato-sensei right? He’s still here, I saw him! I didn’t happen that way so how is it a memory?”

“Wait, Madara led you?”

“The part of my body that was crushed during that mission was completely destroyed. Before Madara’s body died, he grafted parts of White Zetsu and Black Zetsu to my body using Hashirama’s cells. Up until the shadows dragged me in, he could control me physically. If I could manage to activate my sharingan, I could fight him off for a short time. Never enough to get away from him though.”

“The day you attacked me with the genjutsu, who was in control?”

“Damn kid, I don’t even wanna think about that. He was in full control. Only thing you can actually pin on me from that day was trying to unseal the kyuubi. I didn’t know that process would kill the jinchuriki, he told me you would live. If I had known then I would have stayed away from Uzushino. When the Kyuubi didn’t come out, Madara got so pissed he took complete control over my body and my sharingan. All I could do was watch it all. Then the shadows took over and Madara completely jumped ship. He figured I would never get out of there. Somehow his hold over me and the connection he had to the cells is gone. 

If ya wanna kill me for what happened I don’t blame ya kid. Hell I’ll sit here and take it, as long as you don’t put me back in the shadows, I can’t take seeing that shit no more.”

“What you saw, those were a collection of memories from the future. Everyone who encountered Madara Uchiha, the people who died because of him, the war, Otsusuki Kagura, all of it. I witnessed most of it first hand with Naruto. Before we died, we sealed all the memories from our comrades and sent them back in time. They were sealed in the shadows, so you now know everything we know.”

“You have a choice, Uchiha Obito. Tell us everything you know about Madara and Black Zetsu, help us take them down before they can release the infinite tsukuyomi. In return, you’ll be accepted back into the village. Everyone here knows the truth, but we’re all willing to keep what hasn’t happened locked away so that you can reclaim your life. Refuse to help us and we’ll kill you now.”

“Honestly, what reason would I have to live at this point? The head of my clan knows what I did, knows what happened to Naruto. I can’t undo that. I will help you, in return for my help, just kill me. I can’t go back to my life knowing what I know.”

“You don’t get to decide that. It was a genjutsu, yeah it freaked me out and I have some issues from it. You didn’t do it though so I don’t blame you. Honestly I never did. When Kashi and dad told me about the kind of person you were before Madara’s influence, I knew there was no way someone like that could have done what he did. 

Everyone thought you died that day, they mourned you for a long time. Mi-chan visits your name on the memorial and your grave in the compound every morning. She might be mad at you for joining Madara, but she’ll forgive you.”

“I still wanna kick your ass for even trying to run away. I don’t care if that bastard was controlling you, if you had even a moment where you were in control, you should have come to the clan. We could have helped you, dumb ass!”

“Shisui is right. Father has a list of things for you to atone for and another list of what you’re going to do to atone for it. Mother informed all of us that if you did not survive and come home, we’d all face her wrath. I for one do not wish to see her angered over this, so death is not an option for you.”

“Fine. I’ll take the deal, Tsunade-hime. Before we get into Madara and Zetsu, you have some traders in the village. Orochimaru was never in your custody. He’s been helping Madara along with Kabuto and that pink haired bitch. Madara is waiting for all the jinchuriki to be gathered in one place. That’s when and where he’ll attack. As long as they stay apart, then he’ll stay hidden.

Zetsu never leaves Orochimaru’s sight. He’s weak right now because he can’t find his body. In a moment of control, I hid it where he won’t be able to reach it. If you want to seal Madara, reanimate his body first. Force him to come out of hiding, but be careful. He knows how to make the reanimation permanent and if that happens, no one short of the Sage of Six Paths could stop him.”

“So where’s the body?”

“That’s easy, it’s here in Konoha. I used genjutsu to sneak it into Nara forest during that huge party you guys had for Shikamaru’s birthday. Madara can’t set foot in that forest and not because of the seals you put in place. He could easily break those.”

“Then why can’t he enter it?”

“Kushina’s chains. Pieces of them were buried around the entire property after she died. It was the last instructions she left with me that night.”

“If you reanimate Madara, wrap him in the Uzumaki chains. He can’t break them. It’s the only seal strong enough to hold him long enough to kill him. Sadly, the only way you’ll be able to kill him is with a reaper death seal or something equally powerful and lethal to both. At least that I know of. Maybe the Uzushio documents could give better answers but, there aren’t many of those left.”

“We have one scroll that could prove useful, but we need Kushina to do it. And none of us are able to reanimate the dead.”

“Actually, there is one person among you who can do it.”

“Who?”

“Hatake Kakashi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's the end of season 1! Season 2 Prologue is hot off the press and posted! Go check it out!

**Author's Note:**

> I have a discord server for this story! Come join me for updates and discussions!
> 
> https://discord.gg/4atRpFWXmz


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